Fushigi Akugi:
Chapter 11: Love's Lost Refrain: The True Dove's Song
Houjun's eyes opened, he head swimming and
breathing uneven. His vision seemed somewhat distorted and he tried
to move his hands to his face only to find heavy manacles weighing them
down. He felt drained of almost all his strength and turned his head,
with much effort, to see Tenkou looking down at him, a cruel smile playing
on his lips, one hand tangled in his bangs, though he was pretty sure he
didn't feel it.
"How does it feel, hato. How does it
feel to know that I have won?"
"You...." he tried to make one coherent thought,
but was drawing a blank as he looked up into Tenkou's gold eyes and the
triumph burning in them.
"You're power truly is immense. It is
a shame that you won't have any left. Once I've finished draining
your energy, I shall destroy this world and remake it as I see fit.
I will destroy the four gods as easily as I will destroy that simple-minded
bandit. Did you honestly believe that he would save you?"
Slowly, Houjun's eyes came more into focus,
his left eye throbbing painfully as it seemed to open, though he wasn't
sure when it had been closed. He winced, suddenly able to feel where
his bangs were being pulled.
"And you've changed your form again, I see.
It's true, then. Now that I'm certain that you can't use your powers,
I leave you to your fate so I can deliver your bandit from this mortal
coil.(1)" With a final, cruel smile, he released the teen's hair,
letting him fall to the ground, weakened.
'Why....why does my head hurt....why do I
feel like this...'
'You don't know?' His eyes cracked open,
hearing another voice.
'Na...nani?'
'Let me explain,' Chichiri's thoughts seemed
to echo in his mind, though he didn't know where the monk was. 'The
spell to divid someone's conscious in two is called the Right of Gemini.
Just like Fuji and Yama, there can, at times, be a turmoil so great within
a being, that the Right of Gemini is envoked. It isn't a common spell,
but neither is the circumstance in which it is envoked. In Fuji and
Yama's case, it was their power when they were one being. Fire and
Ice cannot exist in harmony within one being until both are mastered.
That would be impossible, however, because they cancel each other out.
In my, no...in our case, it was that, to me, Houjun didn't exist.
I couldn't bear to bring up the past let alone be called by that name.
Because of that, I closed my heart to you. Tenkou knew this and cast
the spell on me, throwing you into another dimension. He knows that
we can't reunite unless we can find a common bond. If we can just
find one thing that we agree on...just one link, then we can reverse the
spell.'
'Then...he forced us to merge so that we couldn't
fight back because our spirits would reject each other?'
'Exactly. No!' Chichiri turned
his mind toward Tasuki. 'Tasuki...his life force...'
'We have to help him.'
'But how can we?'
'Baka! You love Tasuki. I love
Tasuki. You said one link, didn't you?'
'Ah...You're right. Gomen, just...'
'Stress headache. I get them all the
time.'
'As do I,' the mage chuckled. Slowly,
an incantation he'd never heard found itself to Houjun's lips. As
the last syllable rang against the walls of the chamber, the teen's eyes
opened to find the chains that had once pinned his wrists down were no
longer there. He stood up carefully, soft feathers brushing against
his back and the back of his arms and legs, nearly brushing the floor when
they were folded. He looked down at his hands, a new power surging
through him, and called forth his sword to find that it, too, and changed.
The image of Suzaku held it's wings open, it's head curled downward slightly
just beneath where the silver blade gleamed with a reddish hue. He
gripped the hilt, which was shaped like the phoenix's body, three long
red feather hanging where the tail was, and held it above his head before
bringing it down, the sharp cry of the phoenix filling the chamber.
He looked toward the door and nodded. He wouldn't let Tenkou
win. Tasuki, as well as his friends, were all counting on him.
Tasuki hit the wall hard, Tenkou's spell catching
him in the gut. He knew that he had broken a few ribs as well as
obtaining several cuts and burns from the black mage, but he knew as well,
that Chichiri and Houjun were just beyond the demon and forced himself
back up. Fuji stood before him, a fire spell leaping from his hands,
but the demon merely laughed, brushing the attack aside.
"Does Serge really believe that two children
can stand against me and hope to win?"
Tasuki cursed under his breath, wishing that
Serge and Yama hadn't gone off to find Damon. Still, he had promised
to rescue Chichiri and Houjun. He wasn't a man who made promises
lightly. He caught Fuji as the teen was slammed back by a spell,
and pushed him back, tessen in hand.
"And now, bandit," Tenkou chuckled, waving
his hand. The familiar feeling of paralysis spread over the red-head's
body and he shivered, knowing that there was no escape. "No one will
save you this time. Now you die." A spell formed in the demon's
hand before it flew towards him. Behind Tasuki, Fuji cried out, but
didn't move. This was it.
'Chiri...Houjun...gomen....I failed ya both...'
he closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow, but it never came.
Instead, he heard the angry shouts of the demon.
"How? How can you still be alive!?"
Slowly, he looked up, his jaw falling open
as he caught sight of two, snow white wings and then long hair the color
of a cloudless sky.
"Tenkou," the familiar voice of his lover
rang out, his weight shifting onto his front leg a bit, sword held before
him. "I will not allow you to harm him."
"Hm...we'll see. You may have found
a way to reverse the Gemini spell, but I still took more than enough power
from you to destroy this world and all who live in it! Face it, boy,"
He held out his hand, a black sphere of energy forming in it. "I've
won this war." Before he could attack, however, a white wave of energy
flew towards him, striking him in the face. Black blood seeped from
the wound as the mage held the sword up again.
"You...how could you..." Tenkou sputtered,
holding a hand over his left eye.
"I will defeat you, Tenkou. Even if
I must use that spell, I will stop you."
"Then be my guest. Even if you do, you'll
destroy everything. It will be the same result." In a flash,
the black mage vanished, leaving Tasuki to stare at his lover. Chichiri
turned around, a sad smile on his lips as his gathered the bandit in his
arms.
"I'm sorry...you got hurt because of me, koibito..."
Damon grimaced, his arms aching as an added
weight pulled down on him.
"Samantha...please...let go..."
"And fall in there? Are you kidding?"
the teen shivered. She had managed to break out of her cage only
to realize that she was suspended over a pool of blood. By then,
however, it had been too late and she had grabbed the first thing she came
in contact with: Damon's waist. Not only was she hanging from him
in a rather questionable position, but she was pulling down on his already
strained arms.
"Then...at least climb up here like I asked
you to an hour ago..."
"I tried, but I'll fall if I do that, remember?"
"Just...try again...please..."
She sighed and again tried to clamor up the
guardian's body, her feet sliding on the smooth wall behind him, but managed
to move up an inch. "What's with the face? I moved up some,
didn't I?"
"Well..." he cheeks burned red as he turned
his head away. Suddenly, Samantha realized what the problem was and
blushed.
"H-h-hentai!"
"I'm not the one who landed like that," Damon
shouted in defense.
"But...you should have more control over things
like that!"
"What do I look like, a god? Sorry,
but I'm a guy! I'm not thinking like that, you landed on me!
It's your own fault!"
"Dirty dirty hentai!"
"Do you want me to kick you off?" Samantha
stopped shouting and buried her face in his waist.
"I said I was sorry. Damn it, why are
you so mean?"
"I'm mean?" He took a deep breath, trying
to calm down. "I'm not trying to be."
"Damon!" The guardian's eyes flew up
as he heard his brother's voice. "You didn't tell me you had a girl
friend," Serge grinned as he levitated closer, grinning.
"Very funny. Get her off of me," he
grumbled. Yama obliged, sliding his arms around Samantha's waist
and pulling her back. Serge cast a levitation spell on her and went
to work freeing his brother.
"The Dove was captured."
"I know. We don't have much time, though
I fear it may already be too late..." Damon looked around the blood
pool and sighed. "I have a lot to do here."
"I know. Still, you need to get out
of here, first. Once Tenkou is dealt with, we'll fix the damage that
has been done here."
Suddenly, the tower shuddered, the pool beneath
them becoming turbulent.
"Looks like he's free," Serge said, taking
Samantha's hand. "Let's get out of here."
Chichiri lifted his injured lover in his arms
and looked at Fuji. After a few seconds, the injured teen floated
off the ground and the mage looked to his left.
"Serge is outside this place. But...why
would he be out there, no da?" Shrugging, he teleported outside and
landing before the guardian.
"Houjun? Is that you?" Samantha asked.
He looked back at her sadly and nodded, a white light surrounding his wings
for a moment. In a flash, both Tasuki and Fuji were healed, the younger
teen looking at his brother.
"What now?" He asked, looking back at Serge
before setting Tasuki down. Samantha looked down, tears forming in
her eyes.
"I must warn you, Samantha: Houjun is no longer
the boy you remember." Damon said.
"He couldn't have changed that much.
I'm sure it will be fine."
'He wasn't lying. He....really isn't
the same,' Samantha thought.
"Where's Tenkou now? I won't let him
win this time."
"Houjun..." Serge sighed, looking to his brother
for help. The guardian of time shook his head. "He's at Mt.
Taikyoku at this moment. In a matter of minutes, he will destroy
everything there and have access to every corner of this world. We...only
have one option..."
"I don't want to take that road again!" Houjun
shouted.
"Again?" Tasuki asked, looking at his lover.
"I remembered everything when I became whole
again. I remember the loneliness of my past lives and how I've had
to use the final spell two times before. Isn't there another way?"
"I'm afraid not at this point, Houjun," Serge
sighed. "As long as this world is connected to another world and
Tenkou lives, the legend will follow suit."
"What legend? What are you guys talkin'
about?" Tasuki asked again, annoyed that he was left out.
"But...Tasuki will have to...I can't ask him
to so that!" the mage cried, shaking his head.
"He has to because it is no longer Hikou's
place. I'm sorry, but it seems that time is destined to repeat itself
again." He turned away from Houjun and started to walk away.
"Don't give me that bull shit, Magus Serge
Rimald! You are the guardian of Destiny! You can't tell me
this is supposed to happen every time like this!"
Serge looked back over his shoulder, an unreadable
look crossing his face as Damon moved to follow him. "As long as
this world is connected and Tenkou lives, it must." Suddenly, he
vanished as did Damon.
"Houjun...what's going on?" Samantha asked,
finally finding her voice.
"As long as..."
"Chiri? What's wrong?" Tasuki asked,
taking his lover's hand. "I'll do whatever I have to if it'll help."
"As long as this...." He closed his eyes and
nodded. "I understand now. Samantha...I'm sorry...that I can't
be with you anymore. I can't go back now." He looked at Tasuki
again and sighed. "And I have to ask you to do something for me that
you aren't going to like, no da."
"What? Anythin' I can do fer ya.
I'll do it," the bandit vowed.
Houjun nodded and gently kissed his lover
briefly. "I need you to kill me."
Hikou looked out over their battle field, a
gentle breeze blowing through his hair, which he had decided to wear pulled
back in a simple ponytail. His wings were folded behind him and his
swallow was held tightly in his hands. Beside him, Kouji stood holding
his scythe in his right hand, his other free to signal his men, all of
whom were ready. They knew that this would be a difficult fight,
one that they might very well lose, but they were all prepared to die to
protect the holy mountain from evil hands.
"He's coming," the water mage spoke quietly,
his gold eye focused and sharp in the pale morning light.
"How many?" Kouji asked.
"I'm not sure, but I do believe we're out
numbered nearly two to one."
"And then there's Yousui-"
"He's mine. Don't forget that."
"I know. But if ya need help-"
"I know." He pointed forward to a point
where shadows moved on the edge of the clearing and Kouji raised he hand.
The bandits shifted behind them, taking up their weapons and waiting for
the command to charge. The minutes ticked away slowly as the first
rays of light broke over the horizon, the Mt. Kaou bandits coming into
view, weapons glinting.
In a moment, Reikaku and Kaou would clash again
for a final battle.
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(1) In other words: I'm going to leave you to your fate and just assume everything goes as planned. Just like Dr. Evil
The final moment approaches and it seems like Tenkou has finally won. But has he? Can Houjun circumvent his destiny and end the cycle of death? Can Tasuki bring himself to kill the one he loves? Find out in the exciting conclusion:
Fushigi Akugi:
Chapter 12: Together Always and Forever: Her We Go Again
It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end
~Sakata Ri Houjun's fortune cookie