Chapter 7
Miaka and her protectors stood around the mound of powdery white snow, a long, uneven stick pointing out of the ground as a marker where their comrade now lay in eternal rest after his valiant fight.
The Priestess of Suzaku did her best to hold her head high, silently vowing to her friend that his sacrifice would not be in vain, that they would retrieve the Shinzaho of Genbu and summon Suzaku. She looked down upon her wrists where Nuriko's bracelets dangled. She touched one gingerly, dragging a finger over the smooth surface. She could feel a warmth crackling to life inside her, and she knew then that Nuriko would be always watching over her.
Atsuna closed her eyes, murmuring a short prayer to Hikari and Suzaku to embrace Nuriko into their protective arms. She sent Nuriko a promise of her own, that she would see the journey through to the end and protect his priestess with everything she had.
"We should go," Tamahome spoke up, walking in between Miaka and his sister. "It's time."
Miaka put on a brave face, turning to her friends. "Let's not waste Nuriko's sacrifice, everyone. Let's get the Shinzaho and go back home!"
They all moved to the barricaded entrance to the cave, staring down the large metal door.
"So, the Shinzaho's in there, huh?" Tasuki spoke up, a determined frown covering his face. "I say we punch down this damn door an' get movin'."
Tamahome heard a soft creak, noticing the door slowly coming to an open as if it had heard Tasuki's threat. "Hey, guys, it's opening!"
The screech of the door got louder, and it crept open, revealing the path ahead. The light from the outside barely illuminated the pathway.
"Something's not quite right here, you know?" Chichiri spoke up, worry etched in his features.
Chiriko looked up at the monk in question. "Chichiri?"
Chichiri continued. "We killed a warrior of the Seiryu Seven. You think they'd launch a counterattack, but they're not doing anything, you know?"
"It's possible they're not close enough to strike just yet," Atsuna offered. "But I wouldn't count it out. We should probably be on guard for a while."
Miaka stepped forward, peering inside the cave. A chill swirled around her, sending a shiver through her bones. "It's so dark and so cold!"
Tamahome moved in front of her, not about to let her make the first step. "Well, let's get in there." He moved forward, everyone following close behind him.
A loud thud resonated from behind, causing them all to spin around. The door had shut on them, leaving them all standing in the pitch-black darkness.
Miaka shivered, uncomfortable, and as she stepped backwards, she slipped on something slick under her feet, sending her to the ground hard.
"Miaka, what's wrong?" Tamahome asked, moving in the direction of her gasp.
"I don't know. I slipped on something," she replied, shaking her head.
"Hold on," Atsuna spoke up. She held out her palms facing upwards, and two large spheres of light pulsed, illuminating the cave around them. "It's dangerous around here without any light."
Miaka looked down to find the culprit of her fall, and the color drained from her face. Dozens of skeletons lay beneath their feet. "B-B-Bones! They're all bones!"
"Yep, that's what they are, all right," Tasuki agreed. He was unable to deny the eerie chill quaking through him, wondering just whose remains these were.
"They're human bones," Tamahome spoke up. "It looks like we're not the first ones to come looking for the Shinzaho."
Suddenly, he felt a presence emerge, and he jumped in front of Miaka as shards of ice flew towards them, landing around them on the ground. One sliced through his arm, cutting a small sliver of flesh.
Miaka stood up, approaching him. "Tamahome, are you all right?"
Tamahome grasped his arm. "I'm all right. It's just a flesh wound."
"You who seek the Shinzaho will find only misfortune!" a deep, masculine voice shouted, echoing through the stone walls of the mountain cave.
The Suzaku warriors watched as two figures appeared down the path, a faint, green glow outlining their bodies.
Tasuki's eyes widened. "Well, who are they?"
"We shall never surrender the Shinzaho to you!" the other figure spoke up, his voice also male but a tone higher.
Miaka frowned. She wouldn't let anyone get in her way of finding the Shinzaho, sure that Nuriko's sacrifice would not be in vain. "Who are you?! Show yourselves to us!"
Green spheres of light appeared above them, fully illuminating the cave, as well as the figures standing in their way. One man had pale skin, long, white hair, and a black eye patch. The other bore darker skin and black hair.
"The girl has spirit," the white-haired man said. "My name is Hikitsu!"
"And I am Tomite," the other man replied. "We are the guardians of the Priestess of Genbu's Shinzaho!"
Tamahome's eyes widened. It couldn't be. "Wait a minute. Hikitsu. Tomite. I've heard those names! You mean…?"
Tomite pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back. "We are of the Genbu Seven." The arrow glowed green, and he launched it forward, the arrow slicing into dozens of shards in the air as they flew towards the Suzaku warriors. Tamahome grabbed ahold of Miaka, pulling her out of the way and sandwiching her between Tasuki and Chichiri.
"The Genbu Seven?!" Chichiri exclaimed.
Tasuki scoffed. "That doesn't make any sense. They died over 200 years ago, didn't they?"
Hikitsu held his hand vertical in front of his face, preparing to summon a spell of his own.
But Miaka paid no mind, ecstatic to hear that the two long-passed warriors could be their allies. "The Genbu Seven? That's great! Then you'll understand! We're warriors also!" Miaka rushed forward, eager to introduce herself to them.
Tamahome quickly noticed Hikitsu swing his arm in front of his body, sending out ice serpents that latched quickly onto Miaka's body, halting her in her tracks. "No! Miaka!"
Hikitsu stood nonchalant as Tamahome rushed towards Miaka. "We will show no mercy to thieves. The cold will crawl inside your mind, and sleep will come. Your body will be as ice. At the slightest touch, you will shatter."
Tamahome reached Miaka, his heart dropping as the ice dug into her arms and legs. He rested his hands on her, his face furrowed in desperate thought. "Miaka, you can fight this. Hang on."
"Rekka Shinen!"
Tamahome spun around just in time for a barrel of flames to engulf them, effectively melting the ice from Miaka's body.
Miaka's eyes glimmered in gratitude. "Thanks, Tasuki!"
The bandit smirked toothily, his diamond tessen resting on his shoulder. "Fire always beats ice. Just leave this to me."
Miaka's smile faded, and she shook her head. "No, don't! I want to talk to them!"
"You can't take that risk, Miaka!" Tamahome replied with a firm shake of his head.
Miaka's shoulders slumped. "What risk?"
Tamahome took her hand in his, grasping it tightly. Miaka stared at him in question. "If we don't break through them, Nuriko will never forgive me. Everything we've done so far will have been for nothing." He closed his eyes, the pain still fresh in his heart at the loss of his friend. "I promised him that I would make you happy."
He released her hand, turning around to face the twosome blocking their way. The mark of the ogre glowed bright and true on his forehead. "If we can get through this, that means we can be together that much sooner."
Tomite scoffed. "What foolishness. You think you can defeat us?"
Hikitsu rested a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Don't waste your breath, Tomite. It seems obvious they intend to make this cave their burial chamber."
Tamahome clenched his hands into fists. "Enough! The Suzaku Seven is not so easily intimidated!"
The Genbu warriors exchanged glances. "The Suzaku Seven? You're the Suzaku Seven?" Tomite asked, a brow perked in interest.
Tamahome wasted no time, the thought of being with Miaka driving him. "Tasuki, you take the one on the left!"
Both Suzaku Seven warriors launched themselves forward. Tomite chuckled in amusement, releasing another round of ice arrows. Hikitsu summoned his ice serpents, and they slithered forward in the air, hissing and seeking out flesh.
Tasuki grinned. "More ice serpents, huh?" He swung the tessen, more holy fire streaking towards the icy attacks. The arrows and serpents were no match. They melted into nothingness.
But while Tasuki reveled in his victory, green, glowing chains wrapped around Tamahome's body, ensnaring his arms and constricting tightly. He could feel the circulation quickly cutting off.
"You should have been paying more attention," Tomite taunted with a smirk. "That energy ring will get smaller and smaller until it slices your body in two!"
Tamahome winced at the pain. He could feel the bind getting tighter by the second. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and he lifted his head, his eyes meeting with Tomite's. "I swear to Suzaku I will not die here. I swear I won't."
Tamahome clenched his fists, the ogre symbol flickering back to life, and strength ripped through his arms, swinging them loose and shattering the energy circle around him.
Tasuki held his tessen fast before his body, a ring of fire surrounding him. "Let's fry these bozos!"
An identical ring of flames flickered at Hikitsu's feet, barreling up around him. He lifted his arms up, attempting to protect himself.
When Tomite turned his attention to his comrade, Tamahome jumped in the air, poising himself for a kick. But when his foot should have impacted against the man's chest, Tamahome simply passed through him, landing on his feet behind him.
The Suzaku warriors stood agape. "He went right through!" Miaka gasped.
"Sorry. That won't work," Hikitsu replied, clenching one hand into a fist in front of his face. The flames barreling around him sped up and lifted to the ceiling of the cave, dissipating into nothing.
"What the hell!" Tasuki shouted.
"Your feeble attempts are in vain," Hikitsu continued. "The bodies we abandoned two centuries ago are long since dust."
Atsuna turned to Chichiri. She could see the wheels turning in his head. "No bodies? That must mean…"
Chichiri nodded. "They're spirits."
"Ya sissies!" Tasuki shouted, shoving an incriminating finger in their direction. "I don't know what the hell yer talkin' about, but real men wouldn't be afraid of hand-to-hand combat!"
Tamahome groaned. "That's why they don't have bodies – so you can't fight them. Don't you get it?"
"If you understand that, you'll stop your futile struggles," Hikitsu spoke up.
"No more playing around, Hikitsu," Tomite said, groaning in frustration and impatience. "Witness the loyalty we have for the Priestess of Genbu!"
Miaka watched from behind Tamahome as Hikitsu began conjuring another spell. Thoughts of Nuriko's sacrifice, of her future life with Tamahome, and the protection of her friends swam through her head in fast-forward.
She knew she had to do something. She had to do it now.
"Wait!" Miaka nearly shoved Tamahome out of the way and ran forward, collapsing in a gracious bow before the two Genbu warriors. "Warriors, please! I beg of you! Please let us pass! We've been through so much to get here and desperately need to retrieve the Shinzaho so that we can summon Suzaku! I'll do anything I can to get it!"
The Suzaku warriors stood in awe as their priestess lay in mercy to the Genbu protectors of the Shinzaho.
"If we can't recover the Shinzaho, we can't return to Konan! Please! I'm begging you!"
Hikitsu and Tomite exchanged a long, thoughtful glance at one another before returning their attention back to the priestess before them.
"Very well," Hikitsu spoke up, his booming baritone echoing against the cave walls.
Miaka snapped her head up, hope flooding through her. "You're letting us pass?"
"If you truly are the Priestess of Suzaku and if you can prove that you are worthy of the Shinzaho, then you will be allowed to pass," Hikitsu replied.
Miaka pushed herself to her feet, her brows creased with purpose. "I agree."
"Wait, Miaka!" Tamahome shouted. "Wait a minute! You don't know what they'll do to you!" He took a step forward, only to have his sister's hand land on his shoulder, squeezing firmly. "Atsuna?"
"She must do this, Tamahome," Atsuna said quietly. "Have faith."
Miaka turned around, facing her protectors. "I don't want anyone to interfere!"
Tamahome stared pleadingly at Miaka, then at Atsuna, not liking one bit to leave Miaka alone. Atsuna gave his shoulder another squeeze, flashing him a small but comforting smile.
"All right, then," Tomite said, clearing his throat. "Take off all your clothes."
Tamahome felt the blood drain from his face. He heard his friends gasp behind him. Anger rumbled in the pit of his stomach. "And that's how you're gonna decide if she's worthy of the Shinzaho? What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"You guys are nothin' but a couple o' perverts!" Tasuki exclaimed.
"Silence! It's not up to you!" Tomite shot back, his patience wearing thin.
Atsuna saw both Tamahome and Tasuki were prepared to launch themselves forward before this could go any further, and she yanked them both back by the arm, rousing surprised cries from both of them.
"What's the big idea, woman?!" Tasuki exclaimed, shaking his fist in the air.
"You can't possibly think this is a good idea, Atsuna!" Tamahome replied, his anger boiling.
"Miaka already agreed. Just let her do this," Atsuna replied nonchalantly. "I'm sure their intentions are pure. Miaka can handle this."
Tasuki grumbled under his breath, folding his arms in a huff over his chest, and Tamahome gritted his teeth. He already didn't like this.
Miaka shed her coat, the cold already nipping at her vulnerable skin. "Fine! I am going through with this!"
She tossed aside the overcoat, blouse, and skirt of her uniform, leaving herself in only her thin, satin slip. She wrapped her arms around herself, the cold biting viciously.
Tomite lifted his palm, now facing Miaka. "All right. Stand right there and don't move." A familiar green glow pulsed around his palm as he summoned his spell.
Tamahome stood in horror as he watched ice crackling from the ground, slowly reaching up Miaka's feet, her ankles, her legs. "How dare they do this," he gritted through his teeth.
"They're turnin' Miaka into solid ice!" Tasuki exclaimed, his hand falling on the handle of his tessen.
"Don't move!" Tomite ordered. "If she is the priestess, she'll try to hold out till the end!"
Tamahome watched helplessly as the ice continued its journey up Miaka's body. She remained still, her face contorting as the ice prickled her skin. It was so cold that it began to burn. She couldn't help but scream.
He couldn't take it anymore. "Stop it!" Before Atsuna could stop him, Tamahome rushed forward, intent on saving Miaka from a subzero fate, but he suddenly bounced backwards, landing on his back.
Hikitsu shook his head. "You fool. Didn't you notice that we surrounded you with a wall of ice?"
Atsuna moved forward to help her brother to his feet, all the while now noticing the sheen on the barrier of ice splitting them from Miaka. She pressed her hand against it, wincing slightly at the sting of cold against her skin.
"This has to be close to a foot thick," she said softly. She turned to Tasuki, who already had his tessen off his back. "Your fire won't be enough to melt it, Tasuki. Not quick enough to get to Miaka, anyway."
Whether any of them liked it or not, Miaka was on her own.
"Now then, if you truly are the priestess, try and find a way out of this," Hikitsu replied, his arms folded across his chest and now wearing a confident smirk.
Tomite nodded in affirmation. "There's no way."
The ice now crept up Miaka's neck and face. Miaka's mind raced as she watched it reaching up over her eyes. But even then, she kept silent, her eyes burning through the Genbu warriors.
"Stop! Enough! Can't you see you're killing her?!" Tamahome shouted, banging his fists against the wall of ice.
The crackle of ice stopped as it folded together atop Miaka's head. She was now still, encased completely in her icy grave.
Tamahome felt a tremble through his knees as he pressed his hands against the barrier. "Miaka."
"She's – She's frozen!" Tasuki exclaimed. "C'mon! There has to be somethin' we can do!"
"Soon her heart will stop," Tomite said, resting a hand coolly on his waist. "In the end, she was just a girl."
Atsuna rested a hand on her brother's shoulder as he rested his forehead on the icy barricade keeping him from rescuing the woman he loved. She turned to Miaka, looking carefully for any signs of movement.
And then, suddenly a weak, red glow that grew in vibrancy bounced off the walls of the cave, nearly blinding them.
"Hey, hey, hey! Tamahome, look at this!" Tasuki called out to his friend.
Tamahome lifted his head, gaping in surprise as the ice surrounding Miaka's body began to crackle and melt, Nuriko's bracelets having transformed into wrist guards, their power now activated.
Everyone held their breath as the red fissures in the ice grew until it shattered off around her body, freeing her from her frosty prison. Miaka collapsed to her knees, the straps from her slip falling off her shoulders. She coughed and gasped, eager for oxygen to fill her lungs once more.
Nuriko's bracelets returned to their normal state, their glow pulsing off to nothing. Hikitsu and Tomite exchanged glances, both of them now wearing a small, pleased smile. Hikitsu snapped his fingers, and the giant wall of ice shattered into small shards around the Suzaku warriors.
Miaka's protectors all rushed forward, shouting her name in worry. Tamahome collapsed at her side, his hands resting on her bare shoulders. He was surprised to find her skin warm.
Atsuna quickly grabbed her coat, shoving Tamahome out of the way so she could sling the garment over the young girl.
"Did you see it, Tomite?" Hikitsu asked quietly.
Nodding once, Tomite replied, "I saw. For a brief moment, the girl was surrounded by a red life force. It looked like fire. It was the flame of Suzaku!"
Tamahome had his arms wrapped around Miaka from behind, a frown overtaking his face. "Darn it, you. Every time you do something foolhardy like that, you take years off my life!"
Miaka blushed, touched by the concern in his voice.
Chichiri knelt down next to his priestess, curious. "So, how were you able to break free of the ice?"
Miaka lifted her arms, peering down at the jewelry dangling from her wrists. "I'm not sure, but suddenly power started coming from Nuriko's bracelets. I thought only Nuriko could use these. I guess he saved my life yet again."
"No, I don't believe that's all that happened here."
The Suzaku warriors looked up as Hikitsu moved forward, smiling, Tomite not far behind him. "You have demonstrated your own power, Priestess of Suzaku."
"My power?" Miaka asked, rubbing the back of her head in confusion. "I don't understand."
"Please accept our apologies, friends," Hikitsu said, bowing his head slightly. Tomite followed suit.
Miaka's eyes beamed, her mouth curving into a wide, hopeful smile. "You mean, you're going to let us pass?"
"Yes," Hikitsu replied with a nod. "We will lead you to the Shinzaho." He looked over his shoulder to his comrade.
"I guess we have to now," Tomite said with a knowing smile. He turned to the side, motioning his hand. "Please follow us, warriors of Suzaku." He and Hikitsu began walking down the hall.
Atsuna helped Miaka to her feet as she hurriedly slipped back into her own coat, buttoning it up to her neck. Miaka handed Atsuna her coat back and excitedly grabbed her hand, giggling delightedly. "Come on, Atsuna! Let's go get the Shinzaho!" The others chuckled and smiled as Miaka yanked the champion of light down the hallway to catch up with Hikitsu and Tomite. The Suzaku warriors followed close behind the women, meeting with Hikitsu and Tomite before a set of grand doors, locked tight.
"These doors are kept shut with our will," Hikitsu explained. "For 200 years, we've defended them. They've been closed. And now…the time has come to allow the doors to open."
Saying nothing more, there was a gentle rumble and a loud creak as the doors slowly opened, leaving a grand streak of light in the otherwise dark cave.
Hikitsu and Tomite moved inside, followed closely by Miaka and her warriors. Miaka's eyes widened as she took in the grand sight. The walls were made of smooth, solid ice, the ceiling held up by large, majestic pillars, also made of ice. And at the other end of the room, an item glowed and sparkled against the light.
"That's the Shinzaho there," Tomite explained.
"Priestess, please follow us. Your protectors can wait here," Hikitsu said, motioning for her to come forward.
Miaka's eyes widened, her heart quickening against her chest. She turned to face her friends, who all, minus Tasuki, urged her forward with comforting smiles.
"Hey, why aren't we invited?" Tasuki griped, his arms firm over his chest.
The Priestess of Suzaku gulped loudly – she swore she heard it echo against the ice walls – and stepped forward, following Hikitsu and Tomite to the other end of the hall to the ice pedestal housing the Shinzaho of Genbu.
It was surrounded by sheer satin curtains. Miaka held her hands fast against her chest, her pulse thumping against her throat, as the two Genbu warriors moved the fabric away from the pedestal, revealing the sparkle of the treasure laying before her.
It was a grand gold necklace with a large amethyst jewel shimmering in the center. Miaka's hands shook as she reached for it, stroking a finger softly against the cold metal.
"The Priestess of Genbu received this necklace in the ceremony to summon Genbu. It contains the priestess's power to summon the beast god," Hikitsu explained. He smiled. "And now it is yours, Priestess of Suzaku."
Miaka took that as permission to gently take the piece of jewelry in her hands. She studied its glimmer, a happy smile overtaking her face, before hugging it to her chest.
"Now I can summon Suzaku," she whispered to herself, turning to look upon her warriors, who had moved closer to witness the occasion. They all wore pleased smiles, happy that they were successful and, of course, were able to retrieve the Shinzaho before the Seiryu Seven.
Tomite cleared his throat behind her, shaking her from her reverie and causing her to look upon him in confusion. "Excuse me. I hate to break it to you, but that's not enough to summon Suzaku."
Miaka gasped. "What?!"
"Whaddaya mean, we can't summon Suzaku?!" Tasuki shouted, his arms flung in the air in a huff.
"You can't release its power without the other Shinzaho that is kept in the Sairo Empire to the west," Tomite replied. He cocked his head to the side. "You didn't know this?"
But watching as the Suzaku warriors and their priestess hung their heads in utter disappointment, the answer to his question silently presented itself.
"Well," Chichiri began, scratching his cheek, "I remember at the ceremony, Taiitsukun did say 'first you have to go to Hokkan,' you know?"
"Well, why the hell didn't she make that clear in the first place?!" Tasuki demanded, his face reddening in anger. He turned to Tamahome, prepared to have his comrade back him up, but the color in Tamahome's face disappeared, his eyes distant and unblinking. "Um, Tama?"
Before the bandit could approach his friend to question what the hell his problem was, Miaka stepped forward, a look of sheer determination painted across her features. "So what? It doesn't matter! We'll do what they say and go to Sairo! We already have one Shinzaho! So let's go!"
Tasuki's expression of anger melted away into a content smile. "Okay, then. Let's do it!"
"I think we will all be fine," Chiriko spoke up with a smile.
Miaka stepped down from the pedestal, approaching Atsuna. "Atsuna, you'll stay with us, right? You'll come with us to Sairo for the other Shinzaho, won't you?"
Smiling, Atsuna rested a hand on the priestess's shoulder. "Of course. I will help you until the end of your journey, wherever that may be. Hikari wishes it of me to help you. Even if she didn't, I still would. It's the right thing to do. You can count on me," the blue-haired woman replied.
Tamahome said nothing. Instead, he began moving from the pedestal towards the door on the far end of the hall.
Miaka took a hurried step forward. "Tamahome?"
He stopped in his tracks at the worried sound of her voice, only turning over his shoulder to peer at her. "What are you waiting for? Come on, slowpokes. It's a long journey to Sairo, after all."
Miaka's smile spread from one cheek to the next, and before she realized it, her feet carried her quickly to him, wrapping her arms around his back in gratitude. Tamahome closed his eyes, the feel of her arms around him comforting, and all he could do was smile.
They all moved to the doorway, but Tomite and Hikitsu stopped, the open doors now parting them.
"The quickest and most direct route to Sairo is to travel south through Hokkan and cross the desert," Tomite informed.
Miaka and her warriors turned their attention to the two warriors of Genbu. "What will you do now?" she asked.
"Our duty here has come to an end," Tomite replied.
"Once this door is closed, we return to Heaven," Hikitsu added.
"It's been a long time. 200 years," Tomite said with a thoughtful sigh. He flashed a small smile to the Suzaku warriors. "Be careful, all of you."
"Farewell, and good luck on your journey," Hikitsu said.
And with those parting words, the doors leading to the Shinzaho's resting place closed tight, leaving Miaka and her warriors staring at it in silence.
Saying a quiet prayer in their honor, Miaka nodded her head in affirmation and turned around, making her way out of the cave. Her warriors followed her, the light from the outside now stretching inside the tunnel.
"I wish we could have talked with them more," Miaka said sadly, holding the Shinzaho tight against her.
Tasuki folded his arms over his chest once more. "Hey, that makes me wonder," he spoke up. "Can Suzaku bring dead people back to life?"
There was a thoughtful silence among them for a short moment. Chichiri broke the ice, clearing his throat. "I'm afraid it wouldn't work, you know. The flesh would begin to rot and return to earth. He wouldn't have a body, you know. There's no way he could be brought back to life now."
They all exchanged sad looks with one another, facing the harsh reality that Nuriko was gone and they could do nothing to bring him back.
"Still, we can continue on for him," Miaka said, forcing a smile on her face. "And just like those two guardians, I think he's looking out for us."
They all came to a stop at the opening of the cave, the sun greeting them from high in the sky. Miaka lifted a hand towards her face, hoping to mask some of the harshness of the sunlight beating down on her face and impairing her vision.
And in a quick flash, she felt the Shinzaho tugged from her grasp, her balance wavering at the unexpected and sudden force brushing past her.
Miaka blinked the sun out of her eyes, her eyesight coming into focus hurriedly. She found herself staring at a large gray wolf, one eye severely scarred and burned while the other glared at her menacingly. He had the Shinzaho gripped tight in his teeth.
She gasped as she noticed the scar on the wolf's eye being eerily similar to that of Ashitare's after Nuriko had used the signal flare on him. But that was impossible, considering Nuriko had killed him before he could get the Shinzaho for himself.
Her chest tightened as her eyes locked with the wolf's uninjured one. There was no question now.
"It's Ashitare!" she exclaimed.
With that declaration, the wolf quickly turned around and rushed off, kicking up mounds of snow in his wake.
"No! Give that back!" Miaka cried out and followed hotly after him, hearing Tamahome shouting behind her to stay with them. But she couldn't do that, knowing that Nuriko died so they could retrieve the Shinzaho, only to have it captured from them within minutes of having it bestowed upon them by the Genbu guardians.
Tamahome turned to Tasuki as Miaka ran out of sight. "Tasuki, come on! We have to catch up with her!"
Tasuki nodded, and they both rushed off, leaving Chichiri and the others standing alone at the cave entrance, hoping and praying Miaka would be brought back safe and perhaps they could have the Shinzaho returned to them.
Miaka looked up from the snow, having tripped, with teary eyes as the damned animal escaped, Shinzaho in his possession and taking it straight to the Seiryu stronghold.
"Give it back. Give it back!" She buried her face in the snow, sobbing. "It's not fair! We finally… We finally got it! And Nuriko gave up his life for it, but now…" She drifted off again into her cries, unsure of what to do now that the Shinzaho was lost.
"What's wrong, Miaka?"
Gazing up at the sound of the familiar echoing voice, Miaka came face to face with Taiitsukun.
The words spilled in a quickened flurry from her mouth. "Taiitsukun! What'll I do? What'll I do, Taiitsukun? The Shinzaho was… It was in my hands and I let it go! Without it and the other Shinzaho in Sairo, I can't ever summon Suzaku!" she cried, tears leaving a trail down her cheeks.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, I just came here to check up on you," Taiitskun replied, her face flattening.
"Which way did that wolf go? I have to go and get it back!" Miaka exclaimed, the urgency continuing to rise up within her.
"You're willing to follow him straight into the Seiryu camp?" the great creator asked, her form floating closer to the saddened priestess.
"It's my fault it was stolen! I have to go!" Miaka insisted, her voice beginning to crack again.
Taiitsukun brought her hands up in front of her face, folding her hands with her index fingers held upright and pressed together.
"Hold on."
She appeared as if she prayed, deep in her thoughts and muttering an incantation. "Yes, Nakago is already in possession of the Shinzaho. It is now in his hands and surrounded by his powerful life force. This is a barrier."
"A barrier?" Miaka asked, her head cocked to the side in confusion.
"His life force in nearly invincible. You could not break through it as you are now," Taiitsukun continued, her hands folding back into her sleeves.
Miaka's face fell. "No, I guess not."
"Let's see. There is one thing you could try, but it's not something you would want to do," Taiitsukun said, her eyes locking with the priestess's with intensity.
Miaka leaned forward, her eyes widened at the prospect of retrieving the Shinzaho and making everyone – Nuriko – proud of her. "No, I want to! What is it?" the Suzaku priestess demanded.
There was a short pause before Taiitsukun answered. "It is intercourse."
Miaka felt as if she'd been slapped. "I-Intercourse?"
"Male and female intercourse is also known as bou-chuu jutsu and is one of the ways you can take control of another's life force. When performed properly, it can enhance one's chi. But if misused, the life force can be controlled and the mind confused. In other words, you can manipulate his life force," Taiitsukun explained.
Thoughts scurried in chaos in her mind as she processed Taiitsukun's words. "But – But I thought the priestess had to be a virgin."
Taiitsukun scoffed. "That is downright mythology."
Miaka felt her heart clamber to a halt in her chest. "What?!"
Taiitsukun continued, clearing her throat. "If I hadn't said that, the Suzaku warriors would have exhausted all their powers vying for the priestess, wouldn't they? Your friend Yui is a priestess and she certainly isn't a virgin, is she?"
A small gasp escaped Miaka's throat as she sat in the snow, her hands turning red and frigid, but she couldn't feel them. Taiitsukun's words continued to echo in her head as she tried to juggle the consequences of going to bed with Nakago of all people and what it would do to Tamahome, while their need for the Shinzaho was imperative if they hoped to summon Suzaku.
As Miaka continued to debate within herself the course of action she should take, she heard her name being called through the trees by Tamahome and Tasuki, who sounded dangerously close to finding her.
"They're calling for you," Taiitsukun spoke up, causing Miaka to peer up at her. "Anyway, forget about that idea and head for Sairo at once! You must retrieve the other Shinzaho!"
Miaka gulped loudly as she pushed the calling of her name from her head. She hated that she knew what had to be done, and she silently apologized to Tamahome.
Pushing herself to her feet, Miaka asked with resolve, "Taiitsukun, where is Nakago?"
Tamahome felt a mix of aggravation and worry creeping up in the pit of his stomach as he continued to call for Miaka, wondering how she could have gotten so far ahead of him. And while he pondered her sudden talent for evasion, he nearly ran right into Taiitsukun, who merely frowned at him.
Tamahome jumped back slightly at the elderly woman's sudden appearance. "Taiitsukun! What are you doing here?"
"I've got a message from Miaka," she replied simply. "She got sick while she ran too hard while chasing the enemy, and she would like for you and the others to move on to Sairo without her."
Tamahome shook his head quickly, already not liking the sound of it. "Is she here? Where is she now?"
"She's resting somewhere. She said she didn't want you to follow her. She wants you to go on to Sairo and she will meet you there," Taiitsukun said.
"But why?!" Tamahome exclaimed, exasperated.
Taiitsukun cleared her throat. "You moron. Boys really are idiots. Girls get girl problems, you know."
Tamahome felt the cherry blush creeping up in his cheeks. "Oh. That." He rubbed the back of his head. "I just thought maybe she might be blaming herself for the Shinzaho being stolen away from us by that wolf."
"You should just get going to Sairo rather than worrying about the Shinzaho. I will watch over Miaka and bring her to you myself," Taiitsukun reassured.
Tamahome felt placated by the sound of that, nodding once in affirmation. "All right. Let her know we will head to Sairo right away."
Saying nothing, Taiitsukun merely disappeared, leaving Tamahome to turn around and head back toward Mt. Koku to share the news with his friends.
Taiitsukun reappeared behind him, watching him go. A smirk curled on her face, and her visage melted down into a small shell that lay discreet on the snow.
Atsuna was the first to notice the orange tuft of hair moving over the hill of Mt. Koku, knowing that it could only belong to one person. She moved towards him in curiosity. "Where's Tamahome? I take it you had no luck finding Miaka?"
Shaking his head with an exasperated scoff, Tasuki folded his arms over his chest. "Tama decided to keep lookin'. I thought maybe she came back up here. There's no way she caught up to that wolf."
Atsuna bit on her bottom lip, making no effort to conceal her concern for the priestess. "I hope she's all right out there. She shouldn't be off by herself, especially since it looks as if the Seiryu Seven are lurking about."
Tasuki scowled. "Yeah, I don't like it, either. Those bastards are the reason Nuriko…"
Atsuna's face softened when Tasuki bit off the end of his sentence. She watched his muscles tense and go hard as he tore his gaze away from her, gritting his teeth hard. She felt sadness welling up in her chest. She took a step towards him and touched his arm, causing his head to jerk in her direction.
"I'm so sorry, Tasuki," she said quietly, slowly rubbing her hand up and down his arm in hopes to comfort him at the mention of their dearly departed friend and comrade.
Tasuki looked at her, silent, for a moment, watching her face twist as she fought back another onslaught of tears. He opened his mouth, preparing to console her, when her eyes snapped from his and over his shoulder.
"Tamahome!" Atsuna pulled her hand from Tasuki's arm as she saw her brother running up the mountain towards them. She felt her heart drop. "You didn't find Miaka?"
Shaking his head, Tamahome drank in a few deep breaths. "No, but I found Taiitsukun."
"What? What the hell is the old bat doin' around here?" Tasuki asked.
Chichiri, Mitsukake, and Chiriko circled around Tamahome, eager to hear his news.
"She said she would stay with Miaka. I guess she's not feeling well and decided to go on at her own pace. She wants us to go to Sairo without her, but Taiitsukun is going to stick with her and make sure she meets up with us safely," Tamahome explained, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
"Well, at least she won't be alone, you know," Chichiri replied. "We already know the Seiryu Seven are in Hokkan, and now they're in possession of the Shinzaho. We should make haste to Sairo so we can retrieve the Shinzaho of Byakko before they can, you know."
"Hopefully we will be able to get ahead of them," Atsuna spoke up. "But we should probably watch our backs. My guess is that they were letting us do the hard work here. They might try employing the same tactic in Sairo."
"They won't get the other Shinzaho. I swear it," Tamahome said, clenching his hands into fists at his sides. "We should go. We'll grab some supplies in town and then get going."
The Suzaku warriors turned on their heels, preparing to make their way down the mountain when they noticed a small group of men, about half a dozen, making their way up the path.
"Don't tell me it's the Seiryu Seven," Tamahome groaned. "We don't have time for this."
Atsuna felt a presence pinging in her head as she squinted her eyes, hoping to get a clearer look of who made their way to meet with them. Her eyes fell on the center figure seemingly leading the charge, and a heavy weight crashed down on her shoulders as she realized who it was.
She staggered back, her head suddenly feeling very light. She felt Tamahome steady her from behind. "Atsuna, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Son of a bitch," Tasuki hissed, his eyes meeting with Atsuna's. "Is that who I think it is?"
Atsuna sighed shakily, nodding lightly in confirmation. Tasuki instantly pulled the tessen from his back, prepared for battle.
"What? Who? Who is it?" Tamahome asked, shifting in front of his sister. He froze when he saw the fear she tried so desperately to hide behind her eyes. "Atsuna, who is it?"
Swallowing, she looked up into her brother's eyes. "His name is Ryozo," she said, her voice cracked. "He's the bandit leader responsible for my abduction. He's found me."
A/N: A lot happened in this chapter for sure, but now we're really going to start having some fun. I really enjoyed writing Chapter 8, and I hope you'll all like it...next week! :D Thank you so much for reading! ~Halo
