Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Watase.Y & the respective companies.
Scroll 2 - Byakko no miko - Ameturi（第二章：あめつり）
Night was once again fallen and the land's stale air cooled. The crickets sang a pyre to those buried in the field. There no was no moon in the sky but a tiny little star shining its brightest as a sigh of respect. Kokie, chewing on a thin leaf, gazed at it and pondered about what they did some hours ago. The miko had put in a lot of effect in arranging the graves. She even went to look for flowers for each single child. Throughout the whole time, she did not say a single word. The impact of their deaths had taken a solemn toll on her. He turned and shifted his attention on the sleeping Kazuko, who was exhausted both physically and mentally. Strands of purple hair peeped out from her blanket, her hands folded like being in prayer. He remembered the softness of her hands; will they became hard and coarse after they find the other seishis? He hoped not.
Toroki sat beside him and nudged him playfully.
"What are you thinking about this time?"
"Nothing… just that the Byakko no miko is something different from what I have expected."
"What did you expect her to be?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "Wakaranai (I don't know). She isn't clever, that's for sure. But she does have a kind heart, especially what she did today."
"You were touched?"
"I guess so. I didn't expect her to hug that child's corpse. I thought that she would want to leave the place immediately."
"But she didn't," Toroki, admiration lifted her face. "Maybe that's what these children thought of her. A kind-hearted person."
"Then," Kokie drew lines on the dirt. "Was the former Byakko no miko like this?"
"Maybe," Toroki took a glance at the sleeping Kazuko. "Maybe it wasn't the power that the maiden has inside of her but what she did made the people respect her."
"That is the thing I'm worrying about now. What would she do when we get to the village, Shinkou?"
"Relax, let the miko decide for herself." She wrapped her arm around him. "We are her seishis that will protect her always."
"Now, I have two things to worry now," groaned Kokie.
Morning mist covered the field; its air was still, a remnant of yesterday's incident. The birds called out to each other in weary tones like they were unwilling to start the day. The trio rode on to the village, Shinkou. On the way, Kazuko thought of another poem dedicated to the children.
The Children of Byakko
Though young
They were sacrificed like lambs
To the slaughter
Though innocent
They were treated like convicts.
Though chaste from sins
They were condemned
To die
Thick ropes enclosed around
Their frail necks
Their bodies
Thrashed to broken puppets
Their feet not
Touching the ground
Though facing death
They were smiling
Their thoughts elevated and soar
To the Heavens above
There, they will find happiness
There, they will find joy
There, they will find no pain
The Maiden of Byakko have seen
Their graves where
The vultures hovered over
The birds become solemn
The grass rustled a requiem
To the Children of Byakko
The Maiden of Byakko swore
To the Children of Byakko
That she will bring back sanity
To the land of Sairou
Their wronged deaths be avenged
Till then, may
The Children of Byakko find peace in
Their souls
Till the coming of
The Byakko
Their deaths not forgotten…
That will swear on my life. I will never let that happen again… I will not let anyone die for me again…
*****
The red haired woman, who previously attacked Emperor Shimo, knelt in front of her master, the leader of the Kage Kemono. Velvet chain armour donned his broad shoulders and trailed down to his feet. A charcoal robe was placed on side and buckled with a belt bristled with spikes. In his hand was a spear, laced with tiny skulls while the other held a globe sealed with a hawk's claw. Sitting by his feet was a white-cloaked woman, her face concealed by its cape. In her hands, she held out a harp made from the finger bones.
"Your orders have been done, Master," the red haired woman spoke, her head bowed.
"That is good, Lita." The Master said icily. "Now I sense that you wish to seek out the Byakko no miko."
"That is if my Master gives me his blessings."
The Master smiled, "And when you do, I want you to bring her before me alive and in one piece. You can do anything to do her if she becomes a nuisance." The white–cloaked woman played an ominous tune.
"Though she is one of the best student that you have, does she have the ability to carry this task? The stars in Sairou's skies shine hope to the people. The Byakko no miko has already gathered two stars and is approaching the third one."
"I will accomplish it!" Lita's hair flared, her eyes glared at the white-cloaked woman, who said nothing but continued to play the harp. "I will bring the maiden to you, my Master. If I failed to do so, this right arm will pay the price."
"You have never failed me, Lita, since the day I took you in. However," The Master aimed his spear at her. "If you do, you will not pay with not only your arm but with your life. Now go to the village of Shinkou and bring the maiden to me."
As you wish, Master." Lita bowed and dematerialized.
"Do you think that she will be able to do it?" spoke the white-cloaked woman, her voice was like a ghost. "She failed to kill the Emperor of Sairou."
"That is because I ordered her not to. The Emperor of Sairou is connected with the maiden. His stubbornness is something that is needed to be deal with. He must believe that the maiden is not what the legend has written about her. Lita will not fail. Her rage and hatred against the maiden is sufficient for my purpose."
"Then, what about the Emperor?"
"He will learn about the maiden's existence soon. Enough about Sairou, what do you know about the other three mikos that Taiitsukun has brought into this world?"
"Each of them is in the other countries – Hokkan, Kotou and Konan. Like the Byakko no miko, they will find the 7 stars as well and they will summon the guardians. When they do, it will be impossible to stop them."
"In every strength, there is weakness. And that weakness will be my triumph."
*****
The Byakko no miko and her seihis arrived at the village of Shinkou and were greeted by the shivered trees and barren fields clustered with shabbily built houses. They passed through the poorer sections of the village as quietly as possible but Kazuko could not help noticing the bony children groveling on the ground, trying to find little morsels of anything that is edible. She tucked at Toroki's sleeve, Toroki shook her head and said in a low audible tone.
"We can't do anything for them, Kazuko. The sooner we find the third seishi, the better."
"But those children… they are starving… we have to do something."
"I do agree with you but how? We don't have enough food for all of them."
Without a word, Kazuko snatched a bundle of food and tossed it at the children, who immediately jumped onto like ravenous rodents and each of them fought hard to at least have a bite. Cursing, Toroki kicked her legs onto the sides of her horse and rode away before the children chased them for more. She turned her head to see if Kokie was behind her and exclaimed loudly. Kokie had gotten off his horse and was surrounded by the children as well as the adults. All of them were stretching their hands to him and begging for more food. Kokie raised his hands and hollered over their voices.
"Please, I understand that you are hungry and in desperate need of food. Help me what I need and I will satisfy your need."
"But we don't have anything!" screamed an old woman. "We have nothing!"
"Just get me a pot and a ladle and I promise you that you be fed by this evening. All of you."
Kazuko held her breath. How was Kokie going to feed all the people who could turn on him and have him as a meal instead? Amazingly, one of the children, who managed to have his first mouthful of real food, shyly handed him a medium sized pot. Kokie smiled at him and patted him on the head. Within minutes, Kokie started a fire, pour clean water into the pot, and add handfuls of herbs, spices and rice. Toroki helped out by organizing the crowd into small groups of families while Kazuko counted the number of mouths that they have to feed. All this time, Kokie said nothing but placed his hands on the cover and prayed. Kazuko remained skeptical of the whole situation. Quietly, she walked up to him.
"How many people do we have?" Kokie queried, his eyes still closed.
"A hundred people. That's what remains of this village. Most of them have died of starvation." Kazuko knelt next to him. "Kokie, how are you going to feed all of them?"
"You'll see, Byakko no miko…" He said knowingly. "Get the bowls ready. It's almost time."
"But…"
"Oh, it's ready," He hit the pot with the ladle. "Ne-san (older sister), it's ready."
"I'm coming. I'm coming," yelled back Toroki, rolling up her sleeves. "Don't just stand there, move! We have people to serve."
'Hai!" Kazuko jumped up and quickly obeyed at her bossy tone.
For the next few hours, the girls served bowls of savoury-smelling soft rice to the crowd, who were literally suffering themselves. Toroki kept on reminding them that there was enough food for everyone every time someone become concerned about the quantity left in the pot. Kokie remain to say nothing but scooped ladles of rice into the bowls. Kazuko was feeling extremely curious about him. Every time, she returned with bowls to be filled, Kokie will fill them up them without much expression. Soon, the crowd had their fill their stomachs and the laughter of the children drove away the air of starvation. Their eyes streamed with tears of gratitude. It had been too long since they could last remember having a proper meal. Afterwards, the women lead their children back to the house while some of the men lead the trio to the house of the elders. The miracle of a pot that could feed a hundreds mouthfuls swept through the barren lands of Shinkou.
In the house of elders, the oldest of the elders savored the rice grains like gold with his dry and cracked hands, which pressed the soft white grains into his almost toothless mouth. His aging body was shaking with both joy and sadness. Another man helped him sit up straight.
"We are indebted to you strangers," he smacked his lips after finishing his meal. "Truly, we are." He bowed his head till it touched the floor. Everyone in the house did the same.
Kokie bent over, his hands touched the elder's scrawny shoulders. "Please, don't. You don't have to." The elder clutched onto Kokie's sleeve.
"Yes, it is all that we repay your kindness. It has been so long that we have a blessing like this. Byakko has answered our prayer after 10 years of hardship."
"What happened during the 10 years?" asked Kazuko.
"Sairou suffered from a drought for 7 years followed by 3 years under the control of some organization called the Kage Kemono," explained one of the elders. "The Kage Kemono rules over this land with an iron fist. They wish to exterminate any worshippers of Byakko. So, they ruthlessly kill anyone, including women and children. It was said that the Kage Kemono had the power to control the weather and they had caused the drought. They forced the Emperor to submit to them and made hum to decree the banning of Byakko worshippers. Otherwise, they would not bring rain to the Sairou. Still, rumours has it that they were afraid of the Byakko no miko would come to this land and save this land as foreseen by the Byakko seishis themselves."
"The Byakko seishis?"
"I'm surprised that a girl like you don't know about our culture," the old man frowned his brushy eyebrows at her.
"Err… she wasn't born here, grandfather," Toroki cut in. "Her parents moved out of Sairou to escape the drought."
"Is that so?" The old man chewed on a leaf. "Then, I'll take this remaining time that I have and tell the legend of Byakko no miko once more even though it is strictly forbidden. My father told me this tale as his father had told him and his fathers before him. 600 years ago, the Byakko no miko came to this land and gathered all the 7 seishis. She summoned the great tiger, Byakko and restored the land to its beauty. The maiden then returned to her world, leaving behind a sacred jewel with one of the 7 stars to protect as he remained at the shrine. As Sairou prospered during the years, the seishis grew old and had children and their children have children. They passed away eventually at the ripe old age. The last of them, before he died, told his grandchildren that he had a vision from Byakko. The guardian told him that the maiden would return to Sairou and gather the 7 stars to summon him. I thought that the tale would not come to pass at all until you three strangers came. Your presence shows to us that the legend will come into a reality." He spat the chewed leaf onto the ground. "So, tell me, kind strangers, why have you come to this village?"
"We are looking for someone," answered Kokie, who was surprisingly unprepared to answer this question. "He…" The old man began to cough unusually loud.
"Please, could I have some hot water to smooth my throat?" asked the old man. The men nodded and left the house till there were only four of them. The door creaked shut and the old man rubbed his unshaved chin and focused his eyes on Kazuko.
"That man you are looking for, he doesn't happen to have a symbol of Byakko on his body, now would he?"
"WHAT?" Kazuko was shocked, her eyes widened. "How…?"
The old man gave a deep throaty laughter. "I may be old, weak and half-blind but my senses are as sharp as a needle. The children told me that they have seen white light glowing on the young man's stomach. And you, child, your accent is definitely not from this land or the other 3 surrounding lands. The sound of your movements and the description from my people about you tells me that you are a complete stranger to our world. Therefore, it came to this conclusion that you are from the other world that exist beyond here."
"Ano… are you feeling fine, grandfather?" interrupted Toroki, trying to change the conversation. "Maybe you eat too much so your head is heavy with indigestion."
"It's alright, Toroki." Kazuko opened her leather bag and took out the white scroll. "It doesn't matter how hard we try to disguise ourselves, he knows it."
"She's right for sure, nesan. Besides, your acting is pathetic."
"Then you should have said something instead of acting cool!" Toroki tucked Kokie's head under her arm and squeezed.
"Stop it! You will chock Kokie!"
"Relax, he can last longer than this…"
"Toroki… Kokie…" repeated the old man thoughtfully. "Those are the names of the 7 seishis." He pointed his finger at Kazuko. "Then, you must be the Byakko no miko." His head bowed down. "Please forgive us for not providing you the best place to stay."
"No… please get up," Kazuko urged. "I do not need this. After what I have seen yesterday." The old man's head moved up and pressed his hand on Kazuko's cheek. It was wet.
"You have seen the graves of our children…. At least that is what that place is since we are prohibited to give them a proper burial."
"Those children were from…"
"Yes," the old man took her hand into his. "They were our firstborns. The Kage Kemono took them away as punishment because we were on their territory. But this land has been always ours. Therefore, it is right for us to look for food on our land. But they wouldn't listen. So, they took them away and hang them. We, parents, couldn't do anything but stand and watch them..." His lips trembled. "We were too afraid to do anything. We should have protected them instead of letting them die."
"No," Kazuko disagreed. "They die because of me. If only I have come sooner, this would have never happened. I don't know how but I promised to make it up to you."
"You can, child, become the Byakko no miko. Find the other 5 stars and summon Byakko. He can restore our land."
"The white scroll that Taiitsukun gave me says something about the third seishi. Something that one can't see, Something that one can't hear, Something that one can't touch and Something that one has. I don't know how to solve this riddle. So, do you know anyone who has a letter on his body?"
"There is one that I could think of … but I'm not sure."
"Who? Please tell us, grandfather."
"I have a grandchild – Treus is his name. Every now and then, I remember a letter shining on his left breast. But that was when he was a child. When he became older, the letter has disappeared."
"Maybe, this is what Taiitsukun is talking about. She said that she deliberately sealed the seishi's letter and it will remained that way until found by the maiden."
"So, where is Treus now?" Kokie asked, getting slightly impatient. "We have to find him fast!"
The old man lowered his head, "They took him away. After he found out about the hanging of the children, he went back to the field and tried to bury them. He was caught and taken away, I haven't heard from him since then. My worst fear is that they would bring him back here and killed him in front of my eyes. You have to save him, maiden, for my heart cannot bear it if I live to see the last of my blood die." He started to cough.
"Please rest," Kazuko carefully pushed the grandfather down to his mat. "And leave the rest to me. I promised that I would not let your grandson die."
"Thank you… miko… thank you," the old man clasped her hands tightly. Toroki and Kokie stood up and prepared to leave.
"One more thing, dear seishis," Toroki and Kokie both turned and looked at him. "Please take care of the maiden. Especially her hands. They are so soft and warm. Such hands should not be soiled."
*****
"Just our luck," muttered Toroki, as they left the house. "Our third seishi isn't here."
"Then again, at least we know who he is," said Kazuko cheerfully. "Ne, Kokie, why do you look so serious?"
"Ignore him, Kazuko. He has always been like this since we were kids."
"Remember what the old man said. There's a possibility that they might bring him here."
"Isn't that good? Then we can rescue him."
"That's what they want us to do. We'll be walking into their trap."
"But the Kage Kemono won't know where we are."
"I afraid so, Kazuko."
"Why do you say that, Toroki?"
"The obvious, I bet the word is spreading throughout the land that a young man fed a village using a small pot. And speaking of food," Toroki rubbed her stomach. "Do we have anything to eat? I realized that we haven't eaten since we got here. Boy, I could eat anything!"
"Me too!" echoed Kazuko.
"Don't worry, I'm sure that there is still some rice left in the pot… ah??" Kokie looked around the deserted place. "Where's the pot?"
"It's gone!" wailed the girls. "OH NO!!!"
"What are we going to do?"
"We are going to starve!!"
"Who could have taken the pot?"
"Well, I did remember Kokie saying something about lending him a pot…"
"But they don't have to take it!!"
Kokie sighed, "Keep calm. There are some buns kept in my bags." He held them out. "See, we won't go hungry tonight."
"But its only 3 small buns," mumbled Kazuko.
"Do I have to do everything?" He said with desperation. "Didn't you see what I did to the rice inside the pot earlier on?"
"How? The pot was covered and you were sitting there like a monk."
"Oh shut up and let me show you! Girls…"
Kokie closed his eyes and concentrated. Kazuko had her attention completely on the buns. Toroki nonchalantly smiled and stood by her brother. White light shimmered over the buns expanding them, then the buns spilt them themselves into two, then fours, then eight and sixteen, dropping into the basket, which Toroki contributed. The white light died off slowly and Kokie opened his eyes. Kazuko gasped and took one of the buns and cautiously bit into it.
"It's delicious!" she praised. "Kokie, you are fantastic! Is this your power?"
"Seems like it," He helped himself to a bun. "I can multiply any objects."
"And it's pretty useful in times when you can't supplies to maintain the restaurant," chipped in Toroki, half talking with her mouth full.
"Sou ne…" Kazuko agreed. "Ja (then), since you can multiply objects, can you multiply human beings too?"
Silence.
Toroki gave an eerie look at Kokie, who remain chewing his bun. "Ne, can you?"
"Nope, just temporary illusions," he swallowed. "If I could, I wouldn't be here. I would be at the restaurant instead."
"Hey!" Kazuko felt offended. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, isn't it true? I would rather be back in Ouiron than being here with a girl with can't even take care of herself."
"Nani! (WHAT!)"
"He's just teasing you," Toroki pulled Kazuko away from Kokie. "Kazuko and I will be sleeping now. It has been a long day for us. Oyasumi (goodnight)" She literally dragged the bickering Kazuko into one of the houses that the villagers had provided for them to use.
Kokie sighed, rubbed his forehead and muttered.
"She is so troublesome."
*****
"That Kokie is such a pain in the neck!" grumbled Kazuko. "I just knew it from the first day that we met." She lay onto the mat and pulled up the covers.
"You can't blame him. He does have a point." Toroki smiled understandingly. "He wants to remind you of your position as the Byakko no miko."
"I know that!" rebut Kazuko, her head hidden beneath the covers. "I know that many people had died from the drought and I know that the Kage Kemono are controlling Sairou and I know that people have died worshipping Byakko!" Her voice roused tensely. "But I am just an average girl, a normal girl back in my world! I don't possess any magic at all! So I don't know what I can do!"
Toroki was stunned by Kazuko's sudden outburst. She intended to bent over to comfort her but hesitated. The maiden was indeed very upset and could trigger off another emotion outburst. She lay back on one side and was deep in thought. How is the maiden actually like? There was something that she never thought about it till now. Since childhood, she had heard stories of the famous Byakko no miko who came into this world to save them from destruction. She thought of the maiden as someone majestic with supreme powers… Kazuko described herself as an average girl in her own world…. How did she come into this world in the first place? What was her world like? Could it be the same as the world here? If so, then why was she chosen to be Byakko no miko by Taiituskun? Why? There must be something that Kazuko has that she herself doesn't even know it. Yes, there must be. It has to be… Yes… As for Kokie, Toroki decided to talk with him about his attitude. He shouldn't be so rash on her whether he meant what he said or not.
Near to the crackling fire, Kokie watched the orange flames dancing to the rhythm of crickets. He was tired after using his powers so much but he couldn't sleep. Kazuko was hurt by his words. He didn't mean it but it hurt Kazuko. Who was he to judge her anyway? He didn't take the effort to place himself into her shoes. Maybe Kazuko had no intention to be the maiden in the beginning. Maybe somehow, she had entered into this world by mistake… But… how did she come into this world? Had it not been so Taiitsukun herself specifically chooses the maiden? He sighed. Maybe he should be nicer to her tomorrow. That's the least he should do as a seishi.
He closed his eyes and was asleep within seconds. He did not wake up until the morning.
At daybreak, the people of Shinkou were up and awake for a messenger had come arrived at their village and announced. Treus the grandson of the elder was sentenced to death by burning at the stake for rebelling against the Kage Kemono. His execution would be held here and it would take place at noon.
Kazuko's eyes met Toroki's, then Kokie's. Whatever the rescue plan they had, it better work at the first try.
*****
While Kazuko was discussing with her seishis, back at the original world, Ren Sukunami was still at the library, studying. For the last 2 hours, he had a probing feeling that was pestering him non-stop. Something had happened and he didn't know what it was. Something that had happened to someone and he didn't who that person was. Chiaki? Did he hear her crying out for help or was he dreaming? Muttering under his breath, he packed the books into his bag and decided to return home. On his way out, he passed the vending machines. Feeling thirsty, he dug into his pockets and brought out a coin. Reaching out to insert the coin, he heard a voice. It was like the sound of a burning flame.
The lost star roams through lands in search of a maiden, the saver of a world that is at the verge of extinction. Though thou have forgotten thyself, thou shall regain thyself.
"What the?" Ren twisted and turned around the area. "Dare (who)…"
*****
Noon was approaching and Kazuko and her seishis were unable to come up with a suitable rescue plan. The obvious was slapping them hard on the face. What kind of a plan that a schoolgirl and two inn owners would be able to come up with within a short period of time? Kokie was beginning to understand how Kazuko felt being the Byakko no miko. Still, they had to try something. The villagers were too frightened to be of any use. The village bell rang and the villagers hushed in silence. The trio looked at each other in dismay. An army of soldiers marched in the village. One of them was dragging a boy, who seemed to around the same age as Kazuko's. His arms were tightly bound. Cuts and blood were on his unshaved face; his body thin and dark purplish bruises were covering it; his feet blistered. His face was elfish-like, with eyes like the clearest sky on a hot summer day. Yet a shade of inner Will manifested in these eyes.
The captain wiped the sweat with the back of his hand, took out a crumpled parchment from his sling, unrolled it and read monotonously.
"By the decreed of the Emperor of Sairou, Treus from the village, Shinkou is sentenced to death by burning at the stake…"
"Please sir," begged the elder, tumbling from the crowd and crawled to the caption. "Please spare him… I beg you, sir… please… he is all that I have… please…"
"Get lost, old man!" The captain kicked him aside. "If he was smart enough, he should have been obedient and stay home."
"OH SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU DOG!" yelled Treus, while the soldiers tied him to a pole. "AND LEAVE THE OLD MAN ALONE!!"
"Silence, rebel!" The captain bellowed, taking a spear from his men. "You people are worthless in the eyes of Kage Kemono and yet they have graciously provide the rain for your crops, to give you food to eat."
"A LOAD OF DUNG! YOU LIAR! MY PEOPLE STRAVED WHILE YOU FEAST UNDER THE TABLES OF THE KAGE KEMONO," Treus spat on him. "But it doesn't matter to you since you are nothing more than a dog to them."
The captain became angry, using the other end of the spear, he jabbed Treus repeatedly in the stomach. Blood spattered onto the ground. The elder cried out but the villagers held him back. Kazuko wanted as much to stop the captain but Toroki restrained her. Treus felt both bile and blood in his mouth but he didn't cry or beg for mercy. The captain finally stopped, thinking that Treus had enough but to his surprise, Treus grinned at him devilishly. His head lifted high up despite the obvious pain.
"What's the matter? Am I too tough for you to handle?"
"Why you…" The captain raised his hand to strike.
"You can beat me all you want or do anything to me but I will NEVER submit myself to you. The Byakko no miko will come and when she does, you all will pay for every single crime you and your men have committed to Sairou." He turned to the crowd. "Everybody, don't you dare give up hope on the maiden! She will come and save us. Believe in her. Trust in her. Have Faith in her."
The captain took a burning torch and tossed it at the dry sticks gathered beneath Treus' feet. "This will shut you up for good." He showed a bottle of oil. "And this will speed up the process." Treus cringed at the intense heat as soon as the captain poured it into the fire. Like a wild animal, the fire burst and consumed the dry sticks. Smoke encircled Treus, making him cough. But Treus continued to shout.
"HAVE FAITH IN THE MAIDEN!! HAVE FAITH IN HER!!"
Kazuko was stunned by his words. Though he didn't know her, though he hadn't met her, though she may be a normal girl, he had faith in her. Even facing death, his faith in the Byakko no miko remained unwavering.
Something that one can't see…
Something that one can't hear…
Something that one can't touch…
Something that one has…
HAVE FAITH IN THE MAIDEN!! HAVE FAITH IN HER!!
"Faith…" whispered Kazuko. "Hora! That is the answer to the riddle." She clasped her hand and concentrated.
I am the Byakko no miko! Therefore, I can save him. Dekiru (I can do it)… Dekiru…
Byakko! I implore you!
Save him!
Save him!
Save the people of Sairou!
"Kazuko!" said Kokie, "What are you doing? This is not the time to do…"
"Shut up, baka (idiot) and look!" Toroki pointed her finger at Treus. "The light of Byakko!"
White light exploded from Treus' chest and shot up right to the sky. Streams of clouds swirled around it and thunder rumbled. A flash of lightening darted across the darkened sky. The clouds grew wider and rolled grayish in colour as well. Then, like bursting pipes. Rain fell onto the parched lands of Sairou. The crowd awed and stretched out their hands as the raindrop slashed upon their faces.
"Rain…"
"It's rain…"
"Rain…"
"Rain!"
"Rain!"
"Byakko has brought rain to us!"
The soldiers stood dumbly and the captain was too flabbergasted to say anything. He felt someone tapping on his shoulder, turning around; the first thing that he received was a knuckle sandwich from Kokie. The captain fell with a loud thud.
"That will teach you to bully the people of Sairou. My advice to you is to return to the Kage Kemono and tell them this. They no longer control the rain. They have no control over us."
The captain cursed and forced himself to give the signal of retreat to his men. The villagers cheered as they threw mud and stones at them. Kazuko and Toroki were untying Treus from the pole. The elder instantly held him in his arms, calling his name over and over again. A sudden fear came upon Kokie. Was Treus dead? Toroki, knowing her brother's thoughts, looked up and gave a thumbs-up at him. Kokie gave a sigh of relief. Treus was exhausted from his ordeal. Then, he spotted white light glowing from Treus' body that seemed to be concentrated on one area. Running over, he bent down and discovered a Byakko symbol on Treus' left breast.
"Are wa… (that is…)"
Kazuko nodded her head. "The third seishi's symbol – Ameturi. Treus is Ameturi."
"A job well-done," praised Toroki. "You did it."
"But what did you do?" asked the puzzled Kokie.
"Nothing. I just prayed to Byakko to release Ameturi's powers. Toroki told me about Taiitsukun sealing the seishis' powers."
"Byakko… no… miko…"
"Treus! Thank Byakko that you are alive!" cried the elder, hugging him very tightly. Treus/ Ameturi half-opened his eyes and rolled his eyes to look at Kazuko. He gave an impish grin.
"It's you, it's really you. Byakko no miko. You really exist," he said weakly.
"Thanks to you," Kazuko took his hand into hers. "Thank you for having faith in me."
Ameturi smug at the corner of his mouth, "Your hand is so soft… so soft… don't worry, miko. I, Byakko no seishi, Ameturi will protect you with my life."
"Arigatou (thank you) Ameturi…"
Something that one can't see
Something that one can't hear
Something that one can't touch
Something that one has.
Ameturi has it inside him all the time
And that was faith.
With that faith, the Maiden was able to release his powers
And for the first time under the iron rule of the Kage Kemono
Rain of freedom fell upon the lands of Sairou
Heed thee, Kage Kemono
Thy reign will come to an end
As the Maiden has sworn
As the former Byakko seishis have predicted
Go to:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Book 2: Genbu no miko
Book 3: Suzaku no miko
Book 4: Seiryuu no miko
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