Dragon Tears and Raven Curses - Chapter Thirteen

Byakuen thoughtfully snuffed at Ryo's sleeping face, and then licked it. Ryo, awake almost as once more from the tiger's breath than the rough wet tongue, pushed Byakuen away and sat upright. "Why is it," he said slowly as he glared at his tiger, "that nearly every time I have woken up in some awkward position while involved in this mess, you are almost always the one who wakes me up?"
"Because I'm the only one foolish enough to stick with you. Now get your butt off the ground before I am forced to haul you to your feet by the seat of your pants," replied a gruff though affectionate voice from the rolling depths of Byakuen's throat. Byakuen turned and walked a few paces away, leaving behind a stunned Ryo.
Byakuen looked over his shoulder at Ryo. "What's bugging you?"
Ryo's mouth opened twice before he managed to get words from it. "I can hear you!" And then, in even greater surprise, "You can talk?"
Byakuen snorted. "You never bothered to listen to me," he said, sounding as if this was a horrible crime. "And we're going to have a long talk about communications and listening to what I try to tell you when I try to tell you, after this whole matter is over."
Ryo blushed, chagrined. "Well, it's not as if I could hear you before."
"And now you can. You may no longer use the excuse of, 'Well, how was I supposed to know what you meant when we can't understand one another!' Now let's go."
"I never used that excuse before," Ryo grumbled as he hurried after the tiger. Byakuen stepped through the woods, easily skirting bushes and moving across fallen logs and over roots. "But how come I can hear you now and not before?"
"As I said, you never listened to me. Go ahead and ignore the tiger; he's just a poor animal that doesn't know anything."
Ryo frowned. "I never said anything like that!"
"I didn't say you did, now did I? Quit lagging."
Ryo tripped over a root.
"Clumsy."
Ryo stood up and glared at Byakuen. "You know, for being such a mild-mannered pet, you sure are snappy."
"You'd be cynical too if you were as old as I was."
"I didn't say you were cynical, I said you were snap-say, just how old are you?"
"Don't pry. It's rude."
Ryo threw his arms up in the air. "That's it! I'm not going to try and hold a conversation with you! It's impossible. I liked you better when I couldn't understand you."
"Sure. Now you realize what your friend is like, you can't stand him. Just as well. You're going to have to save your breath for the up and coming battle."
That brought the memory of what had been taking place to Ryo's mind. In stark detail, he recalled the ghosts who were the reasons why he was even trudging through the woods with his cynical tiger. "So what do I do?" he asked softly as he followed Byakuen. When his tiger did not reply, Ryo ran his fingers through his hair, winced at the snarls that tugged the tender flesh of his scalp, and asked, "Just where are we going?"
"To where it all started."
"Huh?"
"You want to find Soul Death?"
"Well, yes."
"Then we have to go where it all started so you can face off Soul Death."
Ryo stopped. "You know," he began slowly, "I'm getting tired of this, 'back to where it started,' bit." Byakuen turned around to face Ryo. His haunches dropped to the ground in a sitting position. He looked patient, waiting for Ryo to finish speaking. This was the Byakuen Ryo was used to. "It's like, I don't know. I guess if my life was a story, that would be one of the most cliché thing that keeps happening."
Byakuen sighed. It was a puff of air that deflated the giant cat's chest. "Do you know where to look for Soul Death? You need to go to a place that is distinct of the spirits that you have problems with. Soul Death will be attracted directly to you because of the two Dragon Tears you possess."
At the mention of Morhon's gifts, Ryo glanced down at the back of his hands. The Tears winked at him in the shadows of the trees he stood in. "So I have to go back where it all started?"
"Yes."
Thump.
Ryo looked up. "How do I slip into the shadows?" he asked. Byakuen cocked his head thoughtfully, as if not fully understanding what Ryo had said. "How do I slip into the shadows? For me to go where it all began, I would have to go to the darkness where Soul Death exists."
Byakuen growled angrily. "Don't be stupid, boy." Ryo bristled at the last word in the sentence. "You cannot take on such a powerful figure in its own element. That defeats the purpose of your own gift."
Ryo dropped his gaze to the forest floor. Thick moss grew, covering the ground. His feed had sunk into it, surrounded by dead leaves and mushrooms. "But darkness," he said as he recalled Morhon's words, "is that of which everything springs from. It came before light, and it will exist after light has been distinguished. It exists even in the light because light always casts shadows to define what things are." He turned his eyes to Byakuen. "If I am to truly go where it all started, it would have to be were Soul Death exists. If I try to fight it on a plane elsewhere from that, then Soul Death would just escape to its place. If we fight there, it cannot jump anywhere else."
Thump thump.
"Morhon will take care of Soul Death in her own realm."
"But that's the thing!" Ryo made a fist and took a step forward. "Why hasn't she taken care of Soul Death before? Doesn't it already exist within her realm? All things spring from the darkness, even my own power. Isn't that what Morhon said? Therefore her realm is my realm and where this battle must take place. How do I jump directly into her realm to where Soul Death exists?"
Thump thump thump.
Byakuen stared at Ryo for a long moment. At first, it seemed that he was going to refuse Ryo. Then he looked behind him before back at Ryo. "It would seem that you don't have to," the tiger growled. "Soul Death is coming to you."
And that was when Ryo heard the deep beats akin to a throbbing heart, closely bordered to a low thrumming.
Thump thump thump thump.
"What do I do?" he asked.
"Don't let Soul Death think you are frightened," Byakuen replied. "And always remember that appearances are deceptive in everything but the truest light. Your fire will burn that away and purify, remember that. Do not hesitate to use it."
"Aren't you going to-gah!" Ryo did not expect the ground to open up beneath himself, but that was what it exactly did. As he fell through, his arms shot out to grope desperately at the edge of the ground, but that had suddenly become transparent. The last thing he saw before he was engulfed by black was Byakuen looking resigned.
And while that was the last thing he saw, it was not the last thing he heard.
Thump thump thump.
The deep throbbing thrum filled the area Ryo was within. Ryo splayed his arms wide and turned them slowly as he floated aimlessly about. In his mind he was frantically trying to think of something to say. Something that, preferably, wouldn't sound lame under the circumstances. He felt something brush the back of his hand and he snatched it away.
Thump.
"How did you get the Tears in your hand like that?" a child's voice inquired curiously. Ryo blinked in surprise as a splash of colors suddenly filled the darkness. A small head, upside down, popped into his view as the colors wrapped around the tiny form. Dark brown hair surrounded the wispy features of a young boy, green eyes open in wonder, the skin a pale alabaster.
Thump.
"It was given to me," Ryo replied. He felt a weight upon his shoulders and then it disappeared as the boy launched himself upward off of where he had been perched. He dived downward in front of Ryo, twisted upright, and then drifted upward. The boy crossed his ankles and gazed thoughtfully at Ryo.
Thump.
"Would you give them to me?" he asked sweetly.
Thump.
"Why would I?"
The boy sprang forward to grab the lapels of Ryo's shirt. The shirt material bunched beneath his grip and he pushed his face towards Ryo's. "Please?" His eyes were wide with innocent inquiring, and Ryo could not find it in his heart to believe this child was wicked. Morhon had said it was not inherently evil but was only influenced by too long. Perhaps it was wisest if he instead reasoned with the child and explained what he did was wrong and why.
Thump. Thump.
"No. It would be rude of me to give you something that was gifted to me. I would break the trust of the woman who believed in me enough to grant me these tears." Ryo gave the child a stern look as he spoke.
The child, looking puzzled, released Ryo and pushed himself backwards. "I can take it from you," he said, slightly uncertain.
Thump.
"I'd rather you didn't."
"I could give you something for it!" The child look proud of himself for thinking up such a thing.
Thump.
"And how will I explain it to the lady who gave these to me? What could possibly be more precious than these Tears?"
"I could give you all sorts of treasures."
Thump.
"There is nothing more precious than a friend's trust, and all the precious treasures in the world could not replace that trust if I were to break it." Ryo glared at the boy. "Besides, you already took one that belonged to me, and stealing is wrong.'
"Not if you don't get caught," the child replied airily.
Thump.
Not if you don't get caught.
I could give you something for it. I could give you all sorts of treasures.
Ryo stared thoughtfully at the child, whose gaze was now upon his hands. In his mind, he heard Morhon's words echo. The creature is not inherently evil, but it has been influenced by the evil too long. The creature was little more than a child, not understanding the meaning of trust. It wanted to help Itsue and Hisoka, but it only knew deception because of its experiences in the dark. He didn't seem to be getting through to the child. Ryo mentally shook his head; he could just keep trying.
The child stood up, the top of his head coming to Ryo's head. "Give them to me," he said again, holding his hand out.
Thump.
Is this the actual form of Soul Death? Ryo wondered. Or did it take this appearance to deceive me for deception is best played by the innocent? The creature could not understand why or how Hisoka could love anyone. It could not understand the emotions and it was curious about them. But because of its nature, it wanted to destroy it as well? That did not seem right. But one of the things that flourished in the dark during the night was the nature to manipulate, and what if its desire was not to destroy, but to maneuver events so it could understand these emotions? Understanding came only through observation after all, and what better way to observe what happens when the environment is controlled?
But was this Soul Death's true form? Something didn't add up here.
"Tell you what," Ryo began slowly, "why don't I introduce you to the lady who granted me her Tears, you could-"
He was unable to finish what he was saying because a look of terror, ingrained and borne from the memories of seeing horrors that should not exist, crossed the boy's face. "See the Lady of Darkness?" he whispered as he stared at Ryo with shock. Anger mingled with the expression. "Were I to go directly to her she would kill me!"
Ryo cocked his head and peered at the child curiously. "And do you know why?" he asked softly. The child turned from Ryo and brought his knees up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around them and his body tilted to the side. "Do you know why the Queen of the Black Dragons would kill you?" The child shrugged. "No, that doesn't work. I want you to acknowledge why yourself."
"Because I crossed her domain," the child replied softly. "I entered a realm where I was forbidden to dwell in. The shadow world is where the dead who have not allowed themselves to die completely inhabit and I played with a few from it." He added, as an afterthought, "And because I possess something that does not rightfully belong to me?" It sounded like a question he wished Ryo to rebuke. He looked hopefully at him.
Ryo nodded. "Yes, yes, and yes. You crossed Morhon's personal domain, and so you entered a realm you most certainly did not belong to. If you give the Tears back, she'd forgive you."
The boy scoffed. His terror seemed to have been forgotten in the light of Ryo's speaking kindly about Moron. "Why would she forgive me?" he asked. "She would take her revenge for my insubordination to her rules" He snored. "If I go to her it will mean my destruction."
"No it won't. She isn't that sort of person."
"She is of the darkness as easily as I am. She can take any form she desires, and if she so desires she could appear every bit as kind and innocent as I could." As the boy spoke, his voice grew deeper. He uncurled his body and straightened upward. He grabbed the front of Ryo's shirt again and pushed his face close to Ryo's. "Please?" he asked sweetly, his voice high-pitched once more. "I'll be really good. And if we don't tell the queen this, then she will never, never find out."
Ryo frowned at the boy. "I said no and I meant it," he replied as coldly as he could. He pried the boy's fingers free of his shirt.
The boy's face darkened. "Give it to me or you might regret not doing it."
It was silent. Very silent. Ryo suddenly realized that the deep throbbing hum he had been hearing was gone and had been for some time. He leaned closer to the boy to look at him, and suddenly noticed how glazed over the eyes were.
A heavy weight slammed into Ryo and threw him downward into the recesses of darkness.


Seiji jumped off the train station and looked around. He had not expected Ryo to meet him; what he was looking for was someone to give him a ride up to Ryo's place even if he had to hire beg or steal a vehicle. He clutched a small bag to his chest, which still ached slightly. The painkillers were starting to wear off, and he had promised Yayoi that he would take them regularly and call her every twelve hours. It had been the only way he could talk her into releasing him so soon from the hospital.
He made a direct beeline for the public phones that were latched onto a post next to the train depot. Without losing his grip upon the bag he held, he picked the phone up, dropped his yen into the coin slot, and dialed home. Yayoi wasn't home, but his grandfather was. After assuring the old man that yes, he was fine; yes, he had just taken the medication; yes, he was going to be fine; no, he wasn't feeling faint; yes, it was a stupid idea to be stabbed like that and no, it would never happen again, he left a message with his grandfather to inform Yayoi that he had called as he was supposed to.
Finished with that, Seiji began to rummage through his bag to search for the pain killers. He loathed to shove those horse-sized doses of morphine and other mixed pain killers down his throat, but he didn't need his mind to be clouded by pain. The medicine would dull his body, but hopefully his mind would be sharp for what he was going to do. He could have healed himself if he were desperate enough, but he needed the strength it would take for him to do that. He did not wish to feel vulnerable.
His hand bumped against the smooth roundness of his grandfather's prayer beads. He let the pad of his thumb caress it as a prayer for luck flitted through his mind. He went back to searching for the medication and finally found the bottle. He popped the top and stuffed two pills into his mouth. The pills caught in his throat and he choked a moment before they lodged free.
He stared morosely at the bottle in his hands. He wanted to dash it against the ground and gleefully dance over the pieces, but only his pride and self-control kept him from doing just that. He made a fist around the bottle and curled it towards his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully on his nail.
He felt . . . He felt tense. Jumpy. It was like he was anticipating something, and that something wasn't happening. He felt high-strung, restless, giddy (although that was more likely a side affect of the medication), and impatient.
Something was wrong. He could feel the wrongness of the situation resonate through his entire being. After a moment of gnawing away on his nail, Seiji sighed and dropped the bottle of pain killers into his bag. He tucked the bag under his arm and strode off the train platform to look around the small, fairly traditional, village. Some people passed with him little more than glance and he moved towards them to ask where he might be able to rent a vehicle or hire someone to drive him to Ryo's cabin.
Someone gently poked him in the shoulder for his attention. Seiji turned around. His one visible eye widened noticeably. "Shin?" he asked in disbelief. To the best of his knowledge, he had been the only one Ryo had only told of what was going on.
Shin smiled at Seiji. "Come on. Morhon told me you would be needing a ride." Seiji shook his head to clear it.
"Morhon?" Shin smiled at Seiji and gently grasped his friend's elbow.
"I will tell you everything I know while I drive us up there," he assured him.


Ryo was awaked by a prod in the ribs. He opened his eyes to peer into the child's. A look of mischievous deviancy marred the otherwise innocent appearance. Ryo sat upward and peered around his surroundings. They were upon the side of a hill, the ground churned and uneven. It was like a graveyard that had been uprooted. Sun-bleached white bones lay scatted. Rags of cloth were tied around a few and some rags fluttered in the breeze even as the sun glinted off dull, rusty weapons.
The smell of death though was heavy. The reek of freshly spilt blood attacked at Ryo's senses. This was a place where a battle had raged a long while ago, but it smelled as if it were only an hour ago.
Ryo felt something in him grow cold as he turned back to the child. "Where are we?" he asked.
The smug smile on the child's face grew wider. "We're in the Realm of Chaos," he said. "This is where all evil things stem from. If you think I was wicked, you haven't seen anything yet. The Lord of Chaos is not very far from here, and he believes in taking prisoners alive. And not for the sake of mercy. The beast of disorder has no patience for such a thing." The child's eyes twinkled. "Not that he has any patience for anything. Do you know of the Lord of Chaos?"
Ryo slowly stood up but did not answer. He silently told himself he was not going to give the child any satisfaction, even in answering that no, he did not know of the Lord of Chaos beyond what Morhon had told him of the aspects. She didn't say anything about any Realm of Chaos.
The child look disappointed as Ryo began to take in a wider look of his surroundings, but answered his own questions. "The Word created the universe," he said, "springing from the darkness in which the One dwelled. But from the darkness came Chaos as a result from the actions of the Word. It was the balance to everything the Word created, a monster that wish to destroy creation, for the opposition of creation is destruction. It is the only thing that the Word did not create, nor can it be destroyed by the Word for it is too powerful. Destruction is a form of Chaos, and you cannot use Chaos to destroy Chaos. Chaos took the form of a man, though it is like the darkness as it can take any or all forms, and that man, the Lord of Chaos, is here."
The child gestured widely. Ryo saw a dark line in the distance. Sounds suddenly filled his mind, of screams and weapons that crashed against one another as voices roared commands and flesh tore. Was that where the scent of blood came from? He turned from the line and the sounds stopped. "And what is the purpose of being here?" he asked softly.
The child shrugged. "You're here to give me your Tears." He pointed at Ryo's hands. "When you give them to me, I will take you back. But until you decide to give them to me, then you will remain here." The child took a step backwards as Ryo rounded on him angrily, placing all the force he could into his voice.
"I will die before I give you these!"
"Then so be it!" the child fiercely flung the words at Ryo as he sprang backwards in to the air just out of Ryo's reach. "So you will die here. But let it be known, Warrior of Virtue, that death in the Realm of Chaos does not exist! Your body will give up life after so much pain and suffering but life will come back to you after each time! And after you die a dozen times and come back to life a dozen times, each life and each death more painful than the last, will you then not give up the Tears to escape?"
As Ryo took another step forward, the child floated further out of reach. He tightened his hands into fists. "Then I shall die a dozen times. I will not give them to you! I made a promise to a friend never to give them to me, and that trust she placed in me may be more precious than my life!" The child snarled something. Ryo straightened his body. "You have no idea what it is like to be trusted any more than you understand the concept." He shook his head sadly. "I could teach you to if you asked me, but that is not what you are after. Come back to me and ask me for the Tears after you learn the meaning of trust and being reliable." He turned his back to the child then and began to walk away in the opposite direction of the dark line. He winced at the scream of rage behind him.
"So be it you fool! You have no idea what you are getting into!" And the child's presence, a distasteful taint of maliciousness, disappeared. Ryo stopped and gazed across the countryside. He sighed. He knew he had no idea of what he was getting into; that was what scared him the most.


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