Disclaimer: The Lovely Ladies from Clamp own the xxxHolic guys, I own naught but my vivid imagination and everyone else....Whoahohoho. Opps had a Yuuko moment there. LOL
The Price of Balance
Chapter – 40 Castle in the Sky
The next morning the travelers were ready to continue their quest to the War Lords castle. The Amber Archers Bow awaited them in the Castle of the Sky. They only had one minor problem, the castle wasn't actually accessible from the ground. The Mage stood outside the cave they had slept in the night before and looked towards the mountain peak where the castle was carved into the side of the mountain. There were no trails that lead to the castle and the ancient bridge that had once allowed access to the castle had long ago fallen to the valley floor below.
"Crap, how are we going to get up there?" Lissa muttered to herself, not realizing that her bonded dragon Ryka had come up beside her.
"Not a problem. Did you forget you are bonded to a dragon now?" The male Fire dragon winked at the blonde Mage.
"Huh? And that's going to help me how?"
"Weren't you paying attention to my Mate yesterday? We are constrained by the Jade Emperor's barrier, our hunting grounds restricted. So we adapted by only transforming into the smaller versions of our true forms. At full strength, just one of us could carry you all to the castle."
"Really? That's awesome if one of you will agree to it. But are you okay with us riding one of you? I mean you all don't strike me as wanting to be treated as pack animals."
"We have already talked amongst ourselves, in the past our Bondmates were known in the lands of men as Dragon Riders, we no longer have the proper equipment and also we're sort of in a hurry so we decided that Serena will carry you to the castle, while the rest of us bonded dragons will fly alongside in our smaller forms and fight alongside you. Those of our clan not chosen to travel on with us, yet still wish to join in this battle can fly there on their own as well. After the battle we who are choosen to join you on your quest will sleep while you carry us to the next world ."
The Dragons and humans had talked late into the night. Minus Kagetsuya and Chihaya who didn't reappear again until earlier this morning, both wearing extremely satisfied smiles and glowing. Carla had explained how past dragon bonds worked. When not in a physical form the dragons would 'sleep' literally on their bondmates skin, appearing to outsiders as a brightly colored dragon tattoo. Well as long as they didn't stare to long, because like humans, dragons move in their sleep. So the tattoo's often move about the skin of their bonded partner. Each teen had had their bonded dragon demonstrate this ability. One to show them how it worked, and two, allow them to get used to the feeling. The dragons would in fact spend most of their time sleeping on their bondmates skin. Dragons really love to sleep, and it would make transporting them and keeping them out from under foot much easier.
Once bonded a dragon is always present in the mind of their bondmate. Not that they take over, they are just there. So all they had to do to wake their dragons was think at them and be prepared for the dragon to appear. The only time a Dragon could appear without their bondmate waking them was if their bonded was in serious mortal danger. Other dragons could if the bonded pair allowed it, sleep on the skin of another being. But only if that being was already bonded, and the pair agreed.
So there were more than 5 dragons planning on continuing the quest with Lissa, Watanuki, Doumeki and Kagetsuya. In fact each would eventually carry several dragons from this world, to the next, and wherever their adventures took them. Lissa had smiled at how many dragons had volunteered to ride the skin of the bonded ones. Seems they were "Seriously' bored after being stuck here for ages. In the end Carla had chosen 15 more dragons to accompany them on their quest. The teens along with Kagetsuya were now covered with the brightly and varied colored dragons. They each had their own, plus 3 or 4 more and poor Doumeki was going to 'carry' his own bonded's mate as well as his fair share of extra dragons. Good thing they were only about 12 inches long in their sleeping form or it could have gotten 'really' crowded on each teen's skin. Lissa thought it tickled when they moved. Poor Shizuka, he'd had to tell them to avoid his sides as he found it too ticklish.
Lissa being smaller than the others had only gotten 3 of the extra dragons, the boys (including Kagetsuya each had gotten 4). The sturdy little pony Thunder was going as well, Lissa refused to leave him behind as she was afraid that one the more disgruntled Dragons might eat him out of spite. Hey, Dragons aren't perfect, despite what they would like us mortals to believe. She just wasn't sure how she was going to do that just yet. The others joined her at the front of the cave and contemplated the pile of bags and supplies, and poor Thunder.
"So how are we going to get that all up to the castle? I mean once Doumeki gets the Bow, we may end up moving to the next world immediately just like we did after Hokan?" Watanuki asked the question that was on all their minds.
"Oh, that's' easy Mokona can put them in the storage space. It's not that much, and I have plenty of room in there." The Black bun of evil was eyeing the pile.
"Storage space?"
"Sure remember when Yuuko had me hold what was left of those spirits for her? The ones that showed up at Doumeki's place when we told ghost stories, I put them in my storage space. I have 'lots' of stuff in there. The Mokona's each have one. The white Mokona used to carry Kurogane's and Syaoran's swords for them all the time. But Fai cast a spell on Kurogane's left arm and he had his own storage space, at least for awhile. Until he cut it off that is."
"You mean, to tell me, you could have been carrying all this crap from the beginning?" Watanuki asked thru gritted teeth, Lissa and Doumeki raised their hands in preparation to place their fingers in their ears.
"Well of course, it's one of the Mokona's 108 secret talents. Unlimited storage. Eeeeep."
With that Watanuki took after the demented pork bun with murder on his mind. Mokona squeaked and darted off bouncing around the plateau and cave area trying like hell to cause as much mayhem as possible, as well as trying to avoid getting smacked by Watanuki's staff. Which the Seer had powered up with his earth magic to make sure it gave a good solid thump to the indestructible drinking machine.
"YOU, YOU DEGRANGED EXCUSE FOR AN ANIMATED PLUSH TOY! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIDN'T TELL US. THAT'S IT, YOUR DRAGON FOOD IF I EVER CATCH YOU. YOU HEAR ME!!!!! DRAGON FOOD!"
[Loud]
Everyone standing on the plateau placed their fingers in their ears. Lissa swore she could even feel the ones sleeping on her skin move to plug their ears. Eventually Watanuki calmed down enough to let the others shove the bags and supplies into Mokona's mouth. Even the pony Thunder went in there, he wasn't thrilled mind you, but it was better than being a meal for a disappointed dragon. Lissa had a few questions for the Black Manjuu once he was finished 'storing' all their supplies.
"Mokona, what else do you have in there? And does the white Mokona have access to it? Is that how you two send things back and forth?"
"Oh I have lots of stuff in here. Let's see…. Sake, sake and more sake…."
"Why does that not surprise me? I wondered where he was getting it all." Mumbled the still irritated Watanuki.
…. some bourbon, wine, snacks, various coins, a couple of trinkets I picked up here and there. Not much at the moment really. The White Mokona has her own storage space. I don't know how it works but when we want to send things back and forth it just happens, thru our storage spaces."
"Hmmm interesting. And Thunder how is he doing in there?"
"The pony will be fine, there no time in my storage place, that way my snacks and booze won't go bad. I don't know the word for it, it's kind of like he's sleeping, but not really sleeping."
"I get the picture, thanks Mokona, your being a really big help." Lissa snuggled Mokona as he hopped up onto her shoulder, there was no way he was getting near either Watanuki or Doumeki in the moods they were currently in.
"He'd of been a bigger help if he'd told us in the beginning.." grumbled Watanuki who was still seriously pissed it seemed, and Doumeki just continued to stare at the black pork bun. His amber gold eye's glowing evilly. Lissa sighed.
"AH yeah. Well lets be off shall we, the castle awaits. And I'm sure there's about a million demons in there just looking to become Dragon food."
"Yay!" Chorused all the Dragons together.
So they all clamored up on Serena the lovely light blue and green water dragon and set out for the Sky Castle. Everyone holding on for dear life. Mental note…. If you're planning to ride a Dragon get something to hold on too, preferably with a death grip. They really like heights and it's a hell of a long way down if you fall off. And saddles, if they were going to ride their Dragons in the future, some kind of saddle was going to be needed. Mokona was the only one who thought this was a blast. He whooped and hollered like he was on an amusement park ride. Second mental note, let Mokona ride on someone else's shoulder next time. Seeing as he's indestructible a short fall of a several miles wasn't going to hurt him much. I wonder if he'd bounce, if he shrieked one more time Lissa was thinking of finding out. Just as the Mage was contemplating pushing the Bun of evil off her shoulder, and into the valley below, Serena landed in the courtyard of the Sky castle.
The castle loomed up in front of them. Sure was a hell of a lot bigger than it looked from several mountains away. And it looked like there was no doorway to enter the castle proper. Well that's a bummer. How the heck were they supposed to get in? Mokona had already given the spirit powered ball to Syaoran's group ages ago. But seems Watanuki had an idea or two. Getting off the dragon, he went to stand (after kissing the ground first) in front of where the door should have logically been. Holding his staff firmly in front of him he pulled in the power of the earth at his feet and connected it to the magic of the staff.
"Okay everyone get ready, I'm gonna blow this baby open. There's all kinds of evil nasty's in there, I can smell it from way out here. So be prepared to start fighting as soon as I get us a doorway."
The suddenly intense Seer concentrated and swung the staff at the wall in front of him, when he connected a burst of power blew an opening into the castle itself. The Mage had pulled out her sword Ryuu and powered him up, blue flames flickered along the sharp edges. The Archer had his regular bow drawn and loaded with one of the arrows he had won in Hokan if they didn't work he could always fire a spirit arrow next. Kagetsuya (aka Mugetsu) had transformed into his larger fox form for the battle. The Dragons all grinned evilly and transformed into their larger draconic forms, ready to tackle any demon that was foolish enough to attack them. It was about time they got a chance at a decent meal.
Once the previously enchanted door was blown in, they leaped into the castle and the battle began. Lissa's sword sang as it slashed thru demon after demon. Chop , slash, parry, twist, kick, stab, elbow, slash…. Over and over again she decapitated, skewered and stabbed her way thru the front hall. Watanuki's staff spun with incredible speed, whirling around him like an impenetrable shield. The Staff filled with the power of the Earth and connected to the magic within, obliterated any and all of the demons it hit. Beyond was a doorway that led into the Grand Hall and the place the Dragons had told them the Bow resided. Doumeki shot spirit arrow after spirit arrow blowing to smithereens the demons he hit. Quietly and quickly the trio surrounded by battling dragons and demons and one spirit fox, moved to the great hall. The only noises that of the screaming and dying demons. Some of the dragons didn't bother to wait for the demons to die before taking bites out of them. But enough on the less than savory eating habits of dragons.
The trio fought their way to the grand hall. Oddly enough it was empty of demons, spirits and monsters. The bonded dragons told their bondmates thru the link they shared that only the children of men could now pass the protective shield surrounding the Hall, even they could not pass until the Bow was claimed. Once the Amber Archer reclaimed his bow then all the shields that the Jade Emperor had placed would come down. Freeing the Dragons from the confines of the Mountains as well as releasing the shield over the hall. As they passed the doorway, the noise from the outer hall ceased.
The group had made it into the Hall of Sadness. What sorrows await them there?
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AN: [Author groveling] I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get another chapter up. I swear I have already started on the next chapter and then we're off to find the third magical item. I even know where I'm sending them. ;)