Chapter 25: Kougaiji

It was so cold.

Xiaozhi huddled in a far corner of her cell, leaning against the cool stone wall. Her head ached where Ukoku had pulled her hair. She pressed the area against the hard surface. Any relief was welcome. She curled inside her large robes, looking for warmth but finding none. The remainders of Kouryuu's heat had been sucked away by the dark, unfeeling hallways of Houtou Castle. It was silent, nothing to distract her from her thoughts.

How long have I been here? Feels like hours… or days. Where's Kouryuu now? Probably heading down the mountain. He'll hate me. I know it. They all will.

The longer she sat with nothing but her thoughts, the more resigned she became. Perhaps she had earned her fate. Perhaps this last act was the final nail in her coffin. Anything was better than living with pain and guilt… wasn't it?

She could feel them now the closer her time came. All five scriptures were here in the castle. A tingling flitted along her skin with the energy. There was a buzz in her head like a chorus of monks chanting. Xiaozhi could feel herself being drawn to them. Every few minutes she would catch herself shifting, trying to move towards the haunting sound. But she would force herself to settle back again. It wasn't time just yet.

Not that she'd be able to get out of her cell anyway.

I'll go mad if I can't shut that chanting up. Xiaozhi clenched her eyes shut, covering her ears with her hands.

But the chanting didn't stop or quiet. It became louder the harder she tried to ignore it.

"Please stop," she whispered desperately. "I'll be there soon. Just please shut up."

The door to the dungeons slammed open suddenly, startling her. Xiaozhi reared back, slamming the back of her head against the wall. She hissed, cradling the area and silently cursing her offender.

Just let it be over with. She thought. I've had enough. I've never been this tired in my life.

"You're Genjo Sanzo's woman?"

The voice was deep, with a faint edge of kindness in it. It was unexpected in such a dreary place. Xiaozhi looked up to see the man she'd spotted earlier. He was kneeling at the bars of her cell. Xiaozhi looked away, wanting desperately to return to her wallowing.

"I was," she said shortly.

"I'm surprised they were able to catch you. Genjo Sanzo is usually more protective of his companions. I assumed he would be even more so for a lover."

Xiaozhi scoffed, "I wasn't caught."

The demon's brows furrowed. "You allowed…"

"Look, I'm not really in the mood for guests right now. I'd rather just be left alone to contemplate whatever the hell they've got in store for me."

"I can't."

She turned to glare at him. "And why not?"

"I have been placed as guard to your cell. I'm to make sure the Sanzo party doesn't retrieve you."

Xiaozhi blinked in surprise. "You're Kougaiji?"

He nodded.

"Not to be insulting or anything, but you're not exactly what I expected."

Kougaiji chuckled. "After seeing my father, you would think that. But no. Has the Sanzo party not told you of me?"

"A bit. The way Goku talks, you'd think you were his best friend."

"Far from." He said seriously. "I want to ask you something."

"What?"

"Why are you here? No one comes to this place willingly, especially not with what they want. Not unless their involved with her work."

Xiaozhi noted how distasteful he mentioned the blue haired woman, but didn't comment on it. Instead, she hugged her knees, pulling them tight to her chest. "I'm putting a stop to this."

"What do you mean? By letting them sacrifice you?"

She didn't answer. Xiaozhi rested her chin on her knees.

Kougaiji sighed. "This has something to do with what you are then?"

She laughed miserably, "Maybe."

He looked away. "I saw what he did to you."

She snorted, "You and everyone else in that room."

"You don't belong here."

"No shit."

Kougaiji let out an irritated sigh. "They'll kill you, as I'm sure you know. You won't have the chance to stop anything.
"Your concern is appreciated, but I'll be fine. Them killing me is not going to be a problem. I'll be dead before any of my blood is spilled."

Kougaiji's brow shot up.

"Why do you care anyway?"

"I have a debt that needs to be paid."

"To Sanzo and the others?" Surprise seeped into her voice.

Kougaiji's eyes slid closed as he chuckled. "After all these years it's become how it works between us. We pass the debt back and forth, you see. The last time we met I wasn't in my right mind, so to speak. You could say that they set my head straight."

Xiaozhi's brow furrowed. "I don't really understand."

"You don't need to. Just understand that I have not had a chance to pay my dues. Taking you back to them would ease my mind and my debt."

"You're honorable," Xiaozhi smiled. "But I'm sorry. I can't be your payment to them. I need to be here."

"You're an idiot then."

"Maybe," She laughed, her first in so many hours. "I'd tell you why that is, but it wouldn't really make any difference. If there's anyone who doesn't belong here, it's you. You're far too honorable and kind for this place."

"I have to stay."

"Then you're an idiot too. I heard that woman say she had a daughter…"

"My sister."

"If you were smart, you'd take her and everything you hold dear and leave this place. Sooner rather than later."

"I have other… obligations."

"Oh? Certainly not to that blue haired bimbo."

"To my mother."

Xiaozhi shut her mouth, scared that she'd insulted the man. Instead of looking put off or angry, Kougaiji looked amused.

"That bitch is not my mother. Insult her all you want. My true mother is sealed away in this castle, frozen in time much like my father. I made a promise, a vow, to release her from her prison no matter the cost."

Xiaozhi watched the fire, the ferocity in Kougaiji's eyes and was momentarily awed by it. This was a man with no equal. "Even if it means your death?"

"No matter the cost."

She watched him for a moment longer. Was this truly a demon? He had the valiant courage of some fairy tale knight, not the fearsome aura of the demons from those fairy tales. But it didn't change anything, did it? Demon knight or no, he wasn't her Kouryuu.

Xiaozhi turned away, curling up inside her robes once again. "I'm sorry but I still can't. There's more at stake than just me and him."

Kougaiji opened his mouth to argue when he was interrupted.

"Kou," Dokugakuji was in the doorway, backlit by the torches that ran along the hallway.

Kougaiji hesitated. He gave the woman in the cell one more look before standing and leaving the dungeon, shutting the door behind him.

It wasn't just Dokugakuji in the hallway; Lirin, Kougaiji's orange haired sister, and Yaone were waiting there was well. They looked at him expectantly until he shook he head.

"No go then." Dokugakuji stated, crossing his arms.

"She refuses to move." Kougaiji said. "What's happening with the Sanzo party?"

Worry was etched on Yaone's beautiful features. "It looks as if their going forward with a plan to retrieve her. Their repairing one of the cannon ball ballistae to clear a path through Lady Koushu's forces. It looks as if they're going to send a raid team of three through the army itself while one stays behind to operate the machine. Once they reach the castle gate, who knows what they plan to do."

"When do they reach the gate?"

"If they act out their plan within the next four hours, give or take," Yaone took a moment to calculate in her head. "Sundown."

"And what about my dear step mother and her experiment?" Kougaiji turned to Dokugakuji.

"Ni's been pushing everything into overdrive." Dokugakuji answered. "Their putting up some kind of apparatus in your father's chamber with a big capsule like we found Lirin in a while back. With the rate their moving, they'll be done before the Sanzo party even reach the front gate."

"So Ni knows their coming."

"Most likely. He's had them bugged for months. Just because he's got his prize doesn't mean he's gonna take the bugs away."

"Is there any way you can delay them?"

Dokugakuji scratched the back of his head. "Possibly. I can't promise I'll be able to delay them for long, but I'll do what I can."

"That's fine. Whatever time you can buy, even minutes, is better than nothing."

Dokugakuji bowed to his master briefly before leaving, taking quick strides in order to enact his part in their plan as quickly as possible. Yaone turned to the red head.

"So we really are helping them. Sir…" She said.

"I know," Kougaiji answered, looking down at his little sister, who looked back up at him curiously. "I've worked this hard to get that woman this far, to help her reach this point. But I can't mindfully let her sacrifice an innocent life, especially one that means so much to someone else. I know what it means to have something to protect. Genjo Sanzo knows that now as well."

"But what of Lady Rasetsunyo?"

"I haven't given up on mother." Kougaiji fixed Yaone with the same determined gaze he'd fixed on Xiaozhi. "I'll free mother my own way. I don't need that bitch."

"You tell 'em brother!" Lirin whooped, punching a fist into the air.

Kougaiji looked down at the girl adoringly. No matter how old she got, Lirin was always Lirin.

"You're sure about this, Lord Kougaiji." Yaone still sounded unsure.

He nodded. "No more thinking about it. I may end up changing my mind. Now you and Lirin will meet them at the gate. I've already filled Dokugaku in on what he's to do once he can't delay the procedure any longer."

"And you?" Lirin's usually bright, cheerful eyes were suddenly filled with worry. Her overly excited, bubbly personality couldn't ignore the weight to her brother's words any longer.

"Don't worry about me." He placed a hand on her head, smiling. "I'll meet up with you, Yaone, and Dokugaku afterwards."

"Promise?"

Kougaiji nodded. "Promise."

Lirin flung her arms around her brother's waist in a tight hug, feeling her brother hug her back. There was no need to worry. Big brother always came back and he never broke a promise either. Ever.

*Hey all! Three chapters in so many days! Oh my!

Yeah, I took a little bit of a writing hiatus to try and get my head back in the game. I didn't mean to be gone for so long. I just really love this story and don't want it to end just yet. But, it has been going on for a looong while. It's about time I brought Sanzo and Xiaozhi's story to a close.

I'm going to be in the process of editing chapter 26 after I upload this then I can get on to finishing and editing chapter 27 (which should either be the last or next to last chapter.

Please enjoy! Remember, I enjoy comments... just no flames please ^_^ Love you all and I'll see you at the end!*