Author's Note: I really don't have anything that I can think of. I'm just waiting for the next chapter of The Diary and decided to try to post another chapter of my own.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh or any of it's characters.
Chapter 11
Bonds of the Soul
Yuri followed Murata down the darkened hallways to the sage's suite. A room that he realized he had never seen. Murata stayed overnight at the castle, Yuri never stayed at the Temple. The king was not surprised to see the desk, bedside tables and small table in front of the window were stacked with books. The bookcases that lined the walls were stacked two rows deep on each shelf. Through an adjoining door he could see a bath as well.
The be-speckled teen threw a night shirt to his friend. "Here, you can wear this tonight."
"Just like when you used to stay at my house." Yuri smiled at the memories. During high school, while traveling back and forth, Murata had often stayed at the Shibuya house. Miko, call me Jennifer, Shibuya had insisted once she found out that the sage's parents were often too busy to remember they had a son. "What if Wolfram shows up?"
"Relax Shibuya. Lord von Bielefeld would never be allowed this deep into the Temple. Even you, if we weren't friends, wouldn't gain entry to this section of the Temple."
"Really?"
"You have to remember, this may be a place of worship, but it's also a home. Shinou has 'lived' here for a few thousand years, Ulrike never leaves and only certain shrine maidens go into town. The Temple guards also live on site. A home is a place that you are comfortable in. Could you imagine being comfortable in a place that anybody could just walk into, walk past your bedroom door when you're sleeping? What about when you're in the bath?" Murata unbuttoned his coat while he was talking and grabbed another night shirt from a wardrobe carved with a forest scene.
"Well, I never really thought about it like that."
"The ladies...they not only pledged their devotion to Shinou, but also put their trust in him to keep them safe. Not allowing people into the living section of the Temple is part of that."
Yuri smirked, "I guess having a separate bath for you is also part of that, huh?"
Murata balled up his jacket and threw it at his friend. The teen had given in to full laughter as he dodged the cloth.
"Your majesty! Your eminence!"
The sage ran to the door at the frantic voice from the hall.
"What's happened?" Yuri asked as his friend ran from the room.
"Lady Giesela said that there is something wrong with her highness."
The demon king ran after Murata with the shrine maidens in pursuit. When he reached the room, the healer and sage were leaning over Ari. The girl seemed to be having some kind of seizure.
"Where did she get this?" Murata's voice was harsh as he touched something on Ari's neck.
"I don't know. I woke up when she started shaking and she was already wearing that."
The sage pulled the girl up and against his shoulder to brush her hair away from the metal. As soon as he touched her skin, Ari stilled. His fingers ran around the collar but couldn't find the clasp. The metal was solid with no seams.
"What is that, Murata?"
"That is Renka's oracle collar." He growled as he laid the girl back down and pushed away from the bed. "He's forcing her to connect to her past life."
Yuri watched wide-eyed as his friend tore out of the room. He had never seen Murata lose his temper the entire time that he had known him. A sage on a rampage was not a good thing.
The doors to the Hall of the Great One burst open. Ulrike jumped up with a gasp. She put a hand to her heart when she saw the look on her beloved sage's face.
Shinou didn't even blink.
"Ulrike, out!"
The medium jumped again and looked to the Great One.
Murata's body began to glow with a soft, blue light. The power he never used beginning to show.
"Take it off, Shinou." The deadly calm of the Great Sage filled the hall.
The blonde smirked, and with a shrug, threw off his cloak. "If you insist."
A growl filled the hall. It took Shinou a moment to realize it had come from his sage. He sat back down on The Ends of the Earth with a sigh.
"Renka's collar will allow Ari to remember the whole of her past life not as some dream or artistic inspiration." He made sure to keep his voice soft and calm.
"Or it will break her mind and she'll spend the rest of her life insane." Viscious anger replaced the sage's normal calm.
"No. When she was fighting the drug, Ari heard me call Renka. It broke whatever barrier that exists between lives. I'm not sure that wall was ever complete, with me still here and you remembering all of you past lives. It's like we've all been stuck in a kind a limbo. Renka simply moved a little further along than us." Shinou shook his head to clear his thoughts. "She will be fine. When she wakes, Ari will have Renka's memories as well as her power."
Murata closed his eyes, trying to regain his composure. The teen pushed his glasses up but light shined off the surface. A faint, blue light still glowed around his body.
"You had better hope so."
Quiet reigned in the large chamber. Their staring contest was broken by one of the Hall's door bursting open. Both men were shocked to see Ari hanging off the door. Yuri was right behind the girl and slid an arm around her waist to steady her. Letting go of the door handle, Ari had no choice but to cling to her old friend or crash to the floor.
Shinou and Murata noticed how the girl's eyes kept flashing from blue to gold and back. The sage glared at the ancient king. They watched as Ari spoke quietly to Yuri. The young king nodded and put her arm over his shoulder. The two slowly made their way to the front of the chamber. Halfway up the aisle, Ari sagged and passed out.
