They appeared in a place that was a massive underground shrine. It really resembled a large dojo. Sarine was gasping for air, as the headaches rocked her again, and Howard tried to calm her the best that he could.
"She needs a place to rest," Eremes frowned, as he looked at her.
"Where can she rest?" Keltin grimaced.
"I think I can help you," a strange girl said, as she approached them cautiously. "Is that the one that was supposed to come here?"
"If you mean Sarine, then yes. But, she's wounded," Howard said carefully.
"Oh, no! It was agreed that she would come here unharmed! This is not good!" the strange girl said. She was wearing a dark purple kimono with light pink flower print. It had long, flowing sleeves, and she had long locks of black hair. A wide sash tied it together, and thong sandals were on her feet. She was actually quite pretty. As she turned, the back of her head revealed a grotesque set of purple arms and a hideous face that stared out at them.
"You're a Miyabi Ningyo!" Keltin said, as he pointed at her. He had reverted back to his Bongun self to throw off the other monsters that appeared. She turned and smiled.
"Yes! I am to be the one that will help tend to the girl. Sarine, that is. We were never given her name. It was odd, to say the least. There is a room prepared for her. Follow me, please!" the Miyabi Ningyo said. "I am the personal servant to Incantation Samurai."
"Do you have a name?" Kathryne asked.
"Me? Not really. But, you can call me Doll, if you like. It's what Incantation Samurai does on occasion," she said, as she led them to an inner chamber. She glanced up, as a strange masked man stared at them. He had a massive jug of liquor on his back and was holding a feather quill in his hand. He appeared to be constantly drinking from a clay bowl.
"That's odd. Why is a Tengu here?" Doll asked with a frown. "And...and why can't I move away from her?! What is going on?"
"Doll, we are sorry," Eremes whispered. "But, have you noticed that most of us here are monsters, too?"
"Huh?!" Doll frowned. Then she paused. Tilting her head, she walked over to Sarine and moved her hair away from her neck. As though drawn to the tattoo, she gazed at it in silent wonder. She wasn't sure what it was, but it called to her.
"She is the Vessel of Odin. She has been poisoned by the Empress of Amatsu. We had to bring her here to see Incantation Samurai. The warrior Valkyrie from Odin's Temple and Baphomet have already razed the palace to the ground when she was caught again," Keltin said calmly. "Most of the inhabitants are dead."
"Vessel of Odin? Oh, dear!" Doll said, as she looked at the Tengu. He moved over to Sarine's bedside and refused to budge. Doll looked at the doorway entrance as the monster, Shinobi, peered in. The masked man was able to revert into a shadow puddle to move, and he looked like an over-armored ninja warrior.
"Shinobi! What are you doing?" Doll asked. He shrugged and pointed at Sarine. The clattering of a skeletal warrior soon walked in wearing ancient armor and holding a rusted gun.
"Antique Firelock," Keltin nodded. A clatter of its skull was given, as it moved to stand with them. Another monster called The Paper appeared. It resembled a Demonic sheet of white paper with paper claws, a Demonic face, and razor-sharp edges. The bottom of it appeared to be a coiled paper spring that it used to move about on. It seemed to grin and sided with them now.
"This is too weird!" Doll admitted. "But...I feel as if I belong with her!"
"That is what her Mark does. It calls to those that are worthy to be at her side to protect her," Keltin said. "It's what it did to me."
"You are a Bongun, right?" Doll asked.
"Yes. I am also her husband. As are these two here," he pointed to Eremes and Howard. As he pointed to Eremes, Karla's eyes widened with amazement. Eremes sighed and gave a light shrug. She was bound to find out, anyways.
"Oh, this won't do! Incantation Samurai..." Doll hesitated. "he wanted to be with the girl, himself! To protect her and care for her!"
A small growl came from Howard. Seyren smirked. Doll suddenly glanced at the doorway, as a small, barefoot child with long, white hair came in. The boy was wearing a black kimono that he was constantly readjusting, as though fidgeting with the straps that wrapped around his waist, and a massive scroll sat on his back. Pitch black eyes looked out from a handsome, yet youthfully boyish face that signified possession. His skin was incredibly pale from living underground for so long, yet held a slight tan from being outside before his possession long ago. The group paused and readied themselves in case a fight broke out, but it was Keltin who reverted to his Champion self and walked up to him.
"Incantation Samurai?" he asked. The boy looked up at him, since he was less than half of Keltin's size at only three and a half feet tall, and gave a small grin, as a massive spectral form now appeared to float over him. The armored ghost wore ancient Samurai garb, carried two massive katanas, and red eyes glowed out from the armored skull. The ghost seemed to fade in and out, but the massive swords remained solid to show that they could be used and were the main source of attacking power. Yet, as he spoke, it was with impeccable clarity.
"Yes. I am he. Is this the one?" the boy spoke for the ghost, his voice incredibly youthful despite the body's age. The boy's body was simply trapped in time and unable to grow up due to his possession by the powerful spirit.
"It is, but she is poisoned," Keltin said.
"What?" the boy frowned and moved to her bedside. A hand was placed on her forehead and jerked back. "HOW?! This was not part of the deal!"
Very slowly, Keltin explained what happened during her life and what happened at her second capture. Rage was building in Incantation Samurai the whole time, as Keltin spoke. Then a sharp glance was given to Sarine as she groaned. The room spinning again for her. Incantation Samurai's eyes widened, as he saw the Mark of Odin on her neck when she turned to face the floor with a retching cough. They had kept her hair out of the way to keep it from getting in her face in case this happened again.
"She's going to vomit!" Howard hissed.
"I thought the Yggdrasil Berry was enough!" Karla said, as she searched for another one.
"Temporary fix, then," Eremes hissed.
"Here!" the boy said and gave over the berry that he had. "I never wanted her hurt! She's special! And, now that she is the Vessel of Odin, she's even more special! I should have...I just...IT'S NOT RIGHT!"
Incantation Samurai screamed out with a furious vengeance. The boy panted with rage. Seyren blinked at how protective the boy was. He truly was supposed to have been her jailer. It even sounded like he cared for her, even though this was the first time Incantation Samurai ever saw her. He was absolutely furious at how she was treated.
"You're telling me," Howard grumbled, as he fed Sarine the fruit after she vomited. A sick groan came from her after she ate it, and she fell back into the bed.
"I was supposed to keep her safe! I was..." the boy hissed. "What needs to be done now? What can I possibly do now?!"
Sarine whimpered, as the tattoo burned and Huginn came forth. She sat up and moved to wearily look at the boy.
"Incantation Samurai! I am Huginn! The Vessel of Odin has need of you! Split from your darker side so you can join us! Do this now!" Huginn commanded.
"NO!" the boy screamed, as the spectral ghost railed with pain. At first, Incantation Samurai was afraid that his spectral ghost was going to be severed from the body to kill him. At what happened to him next made him realize what was going on. A darker duplicate emerged from his body and vanished away. After it was done, the boy was shaking, but the ghost above him was feeling a profound sense of relief.
"Now your darker half is set to roam these halls, and you can join the army that is building to fight the coming war! The Balance remains intact! You are now pet-like and able to accompany the Vessel of Odin should you wish to join her travels! This body..." Huginn grimaced. "is in so much pain! There is only one known cure for it that I can sense."
"What is the cure?!" Howard hissed out.
"Get her the water from the Yggdrasil Tree, the Water of Life," Huginn whispered, as he withdrew. Sarine lay on the bed in an unconscious heap now.
"I have that!" Karla said, as she frantically went through her cart. "I needed it to make Luna! It's actually dew that was collected from the Yggdrasil Tree in the early morning! I have some left over! Here!"
A few precious droplets were spread onto Sarine's lips, and the dew seemed to sink into her skin. All they could do was wait.
"The Yggdrasil Berry was a temporary fix, only because it was from the same tree! Hopefully the water, itself, will do the trick," Eremes sighed.
"How is she?" the boy asked.
"Not sure. We'll find out soon. We need to go back. Are you ready?" Keltin asked. Incantation Samurai nodded. The Miyabi Ningyo, Antique Firelock, The Paper, and Shinobi nodded as well. A Warp Portal was made by Lloyd, and Keltin carried Sarine through it with the others following behind him.