Chapter two: Discovery
In a dark cavern, a demon stared at his master's stone-like face and body. His master, who remained spellbound for so long, seemed like a part of the cavern wall that he was attached to. Several talismans surrounded the human-like demon to ward off evil.
"It won't be long, master Zerev." Muttered the demon, as if he was talking to a real master.
Another demon walked into the cavern and said as politely as he could, "Shu failed."
"No matter, we still have more demons." answered his superior.
"Who shall we send?"
"You."
* * *
Up in Tenkai, Kenren and Lei had started becoming friends.
"Nataku-sama looks serious most of the time, but he can get really naughty at times."
said Kenren as he walked with his hands in his pockets.
Lei walked beside him, but kept quiet and stared at his toes.
"You're very quiet, you kniow that?" commented Kenren.
"Lei raised hios head and laughed. Kenren stared at him.
"What's so funny?"
"Ah, nothing. Ijust rememebered something."
When they turned around a corner, Lei suddenly stopped as if he saw a ghost somewhere ahead. He pulled Kenren back and hid behind the corner.
"What is it?" asked Kenren.
"Uh.nothing.I.I just want to eat."
Kenren raised a suspicious brow, but Lei got behind him and pushed him away from the corner and to the restaurant. Just before Lei dragged him, away, Kenren caught a glimpse of a black- haired goddess pass through the corridor where Lei didn't want to go.
"Another mission? Demons are very common these days aren't they?"
"I suggest we head to the gate immediately." Shien told Kenren.
"Hai, hai. Just let me call that kid."
Kenren turned away from Shien and called Lei, who was sitting up a tree.
"Lei, we've got a mission."
Lei jumped down the treee and joined Shien and Kenren to the gate.
An hour later, the Heavenly Army was busy in battle. Homura's scimitar had slain a fair many, and Shien's whip was working faster than an atomic bomb.
Lei was doing rather well, but a demon had managed to jump on him from behind, so Lei had a deep scratch wound on his back.
Nataku Taishi, ofcoiurse, was killing more than any of them, and was looking for the leader. Just when the fighting-god had finished off a demon, another one twice his height attacked him from behind.
Nataku sensed him and jumped away just in time. The demon hurled a punch from above, but instead of hitting Nataku, his fist created a large crater on the ground.
"For a kid, you're fast." complimented the demon.
Nataku said nothing.
The demon attacked again, raining his fists at Nataku one after another. Nataku ducked from each blow easily. Finally, the god hurled an uppercut, which sent the demon flying and falling ten meters away.
The demon recovered easily and slowly stood up, his nails lengthening.
"I always hated fighting-gods." muttered the demon.
With his nails about a foot long, he attacked Nataku again, and this time, Nataku attacked at the same time, so the two clashed head-on. Obviously, Nataku was the better fighter, so it was his attack that had its effect. The demon fell to the ground, and just before his body disappeared, Nataku saw an emblem on the back of his neck. If Nataku remembered correctly, it was the same thing on Shu's neck.
The fighting god stood pensively, pondering on the newly found clue.
Meanwhile, Lei was struggling to hold his swords, for the scratch on his back was more than a wound, and contained poison. Even a god would be weakened by a demon's venom.
No one noticed his worn look, and so the poor fighting-god staggered dizzily around. He wasn't completely defenseless, though. He still could slash a demon or two who would go near him.
Lei found his way near Nataku, but his superior was too busy fighting to notice him. Unexpectedly, a flying demon soared over them, shooting arrows at the fighting-gods. One of the arrows hit Lei just below the collar, piercing through flesh and bone.
As Lei fell to the ground, Zeon aimed at the demon and shot it out of the air.
Nataku looked out onto the battle field, checking if any of men were badly hurt. He spotted Lei and went to help the soldier.
Lei opened his eyes and saw Nataku beside him.
"Nataku, I'll slow you down. Leave me." he muttered.
Nataku smiled.
" I don't leave my soldiers to die if they still have a chance to live." he said.
Nataku carried Lei to a safer place to treat him, and found a spot behind some rocks. By then, Lei was unconscious. Nataku broke off the arrow's end and pulled the arrow out. Finding the blood to be flowing out too quickly, he decided to bandage the wound.
Nataku ripped off Lei's shirt, but when he did, he let out a shocked and terrified scream. He went as white as marble, his mouth hung open in shock, and his body went rigid. He stared, gaping, at Lei's chest, a horrified look on his face.
"Nataku-sama!" someone suddenly called.
Nataku jerked back to his senses and climbed up a rock to answer, his hands still trembling.
"Nataku-sama, what was that sream?" asked Kenren, who heard Nataku's scream and went to see what was wrong.
"Ah.nothing, nothing at all. I'm fine." Nataku stuttered.
Kenren was slightly doubtful, but he told himself to trust Nataku and flew back to battle. Nataku jumped back to Lei and ripped off his sleeves.
"He's a soldier, he's a soldier." Nataku muttered to himself as he bandaged Lei, trying not to look at the victim. * * *
Lei opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She recognized it as the ceiling in her room in Kami-sama's palace.
She sat up and felt slightly dizzy. Even more, there was a slight pain above her chest. Then, she noticed Nataku, sitting with his legs crossed as he floated in the air in front of her bed. The fighting-god's head was lowered and his face was hidden.
"Nataku-sama..." she began.
Nataku looked up, a grave look on his face.
"You're a girl," he said. He wasn't asking a question.
The blood drained from Lei's face. She looked at her chest, and recognized the cloth wrapped around it. She stared back at Nataku, completely speechless.
"I."she mumbled, trying to explain, but she was lost for words.
It took a long time before a sound was heard, which was the knocking on the door. Nataku and Lei didn't move; each one was waiting for the other to answer. Whoever was at the door knocked again. Nataku didn't answer it, and the knock came again. Irritated, Nataku opened the door slightly and looked outside. It was Kenren again.
"Na-"
"Go away," Nataku said and slammed the door in front of Kenren's face.
Nataku went back to Lei as if nothing happened.
"Tell me."said Nataku with a serious tone. "Who the hell gave you the idea of dressing up as a man?" he added angrily.
Lei didn't answer and couldn't even look at him.
"Of all armies, it had to be mine!"
Nataku floated in the air again, moving nearer Lei with his confusion and anger.
"Aaargh! What will I do with you?" he snarled, ruffling his hair. "There's never been a female soldier before."
Lei just sat there, staring at her hands which she clutched on her lap.
Nataku calmed himself and floated with both arms and legs crossed.
"What'll I do with you? Impersonating a soldier is a serious offense.but I'm not good at thinking up of punishments."
Unexpectedly, the door burst open. It happened so fast that Lei didn't have time to cover herself, and Nataku was so surprised that he fell out of the air and onto Lei's bed, facing the door.
Shien was the culprit, and when he saw what was in the room, his unhinged brain made a hasty conclusion.
He stared at Natku, who was still at a state of shock, and then at Lei, who was half-naked except for the bandages she wore around her chest and the pants that she wore under the blanket.
"Nataku-sama, how could you do such a thing?" He exclaimed, shocked.
Nataku blinked several times before he realized what Shien had said. He floated up to him and hit Shien on the head.
"BAKERO! What do you think I was doing?" Nataku yelled.
"Well, what do YOU think it looked like?"
Nataku didn't answer and instead asked, "What're you doing here anyway?"
Shien didn't have to answer. Kami-sama himself appeared before the door, his servants in tow.
"Kami-sama!" Lei exclaimed, surprised. She stood up and kneeled beside her bed.
Kami-sama looked at Nataku, then at Lei, and then back at Nataku.
"Nataku Taishi." he said without the slightest change of expression. "If you think that talking with this woman is more important than meeting me, then you lack the obedience I want in a fighting-god." Nataku looked up, expecting the inevitable.
"However." Kami-sama added. "I will be merciful and give you a light punishment. You are to execute a mission, with no other soldier but this girl."
Lei looked up at Kami-sama, not knowing whether to be glad or horrified. Kami-sama continued.
"Your mission is to stop the revival of the demon, Zerev, and you will stay in Togenkyo unless you finish the mission."
Nataku looked like he was deprived of everything he had.
"You will leave Tenkai tomorrow." Kami-sama added and left.
The three people in the room stared at the door even if there wasn't anyone there.
In a dark cavern, a demon stared at his master's stone-like face and body. His master, who remained spellbound for so long, seemed like a part of the cavern wall that he was attached to. Several talismans surrounded the human-like demon to ward off evil.
"It won't be long, master Zerev." Muttered the demon, as if he was talking to a real master.
Another demon walked into the cavern and said as politely as he could, "Shu failed."
"No matter, we still have more demons." answered his superior.
"Who shall we send?"
"You."
* * *
Up in Tenkai, Kenren and Lei had started becoming friends.
"Nataku-sama looks serious most of the time, but he can get really naughty at times."
said Kenren as he walked with his hands in his pockets.
Lei walked beside him, but kept quiet and stared at his toes.
"You're very quiet, you kniow that?" commented Kenren.
"Lei raised hios head and laughed. Kenren stared at him.
"What's so funny?"
"Ah, nothing. Ijust rememebered something."
When they turned around a corner, Lei suddenly stopped as if he saw a ghost somewhere ahead. He pulled Kenren back and hid behind the corner.
"What is it?" asked Kenren.
"Uh.nothing.I.I just want to eat."
Kenren raised a suspicious brow, but Lei got behind him and pushed him away from the corner and to the restaurant. Just before Lei dragged him, away, Kenren caught a glimpse of a black- haired goddess pass through the corridor where Lei didn't want to go.
"Another mission? Demons are very common these days aren't they?"
"I suggest we head to the gate immediately." Shien told Kenren.
"Hai, hai. Just let me call that kid."
Kenren turned away from Shien and called Lei, who was sitting up a tree.
"Lei, we've got a mission."
Lei jumped down the treee and joined Shien and Kenren to the gate.
An hour later, the Heavenly Army was busy in battle. Homura's scimitar had slain a fair many, and Shien's whip was working faster than an atomic bomb.
Lei was doing rather well, but a demon had managed to jump on him from behind, so Lei had a deep scratch wound on his back.
Nataku Taishi, ofcoiurse, was killing more than any of them, and was looking for the leader. Just when the fighting-god had finished off a demon, another one twice his height attacked him from behind.
Nataku sensed him and jumped away just in time. The demon hurled a punch from above, but instead of hitting Nataku, his fist created a large crater on the ground.
"For a kid, you're fast." complimented the demon.
Nataku said nothing.
The demon attacked again, raining his fists at Nataku one after another. Nataku ducked from each blow easily. Finally, the god hurled an uppercut, which sent the demon flying and falling ten meters away.
The demon recovered easily and slowly stood up, his nails lengthening.
"I always hated fighting-gods." muttered the demon.
With his nails about a foot long, he attacked Nataku again, and this time, Nataku attacked at the same time, so the two clashed head-on. Obviously, Nataku was the better fighter, so it was his attack that had its effect. The demon fell to the ground, and just before his body disappeared, Nataku saw an emblem on the back of his neck. If Nataku remembered correctly, it was the same thing on Shu's neck.
The fighting god stood pensively, pondering on the newly found clue.
Meanwhile, Lei was struggling to hold his swords, for the scratch on his back was more than a wound, and contained poison. Even a god would be weakened by a demon's venom.
No one noticed his worn look, and so the poor fighting-god staggered dizzily around. He wasn't completely defenseless, though. He still could slash a demon or two who would go near him.
Lei found his way near Nataku, but his superior was too busy fighting to notice him. Unexpectedly, a flying demon soared over them, shooting arrows at the fighting-gods. One of the arrows hit Lei just below the collar, piercing through flesh and bone.
As Lei fell to the ground, Zeon aimed at the demon and shot it out of the air.
Nataku looked out onto the battle field, checking if any of men were badly hurt. He spotted Lei and went to help the soldier.
Lei opened his eyes and saw Nataku beside him.
"Nataku, I'll slow you down. Leave me." he muttered.
Nataku smiled.
" I don't leave my soldiers to die if they still have a chance to live." he said.
Nataku carried Lei to a safer place to treat him, and found a spot behind some rocks. By then, Lei was unconscious. Nataku broke off the arrow's end and pulled the arrow out. Finding the blood to be flowing out too quickly, he decided to bandage the wound.
Nataku ripped off Lei's shirt, but when he did, he let out a shocked and terrified scream. He went as white as marble, his mouth hung open in shock, and his body went rigid. He stared, gaping, at Lei's chest, a horrified look on his face.
"Nataku-sama!" someone suddenly called.
Nataku jerked back to his senses and climbed up a rock to answer, his hands still trembling.
"Nataku-sama, what was that sream?" asked Kenren, who heard Nataku's scream and went to see what was wrong.
"Ah.nothing, nothing at all. I'm fine." Nataku stuttered.
Kenren was slightly doubtful, but he told himself to trust Nataku and flew back to battle. Nataku jumped back to Lei and ripped off his sleeves.
"He's a soldier, he's a soldier." Nataku muttered to himself as he bandaged Lei, trying not to look at the victim. * * *
Lei opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She recognized it as the ceiling in her room in Kami-sama's palace.
She sat up and felt slightly dizzy. Even more, there was a slight pain above her chest. Then, she noticed Nataku, sitting with his legs crossed as he floated in the air in front of her bed. The fighting-god's head was lowered and his face was hidden.
"Nataku-sama..." she began.
Nataku looked up, a grave look on his face.
"You're a girl," he said. He wasn't asking a question.
The blood drained from Lei's face. She looked at her chest, and recognized the cloth wrapped around it. She stared back at Nataku, completely speechless.
"I."she mumbled, trying to explain, but she was lost for words.
It took a long time before a sound was heard, which was the knocking on the door. Nataku and Lei didn't move; each one was waiting for the other to answer. Whoever was at the door knocked again. Nataku didn't answer it, and the knock came again. Irritated, Nataku opened the door slightly and looked outside. It was Kenren again.
"Na-"
"Go away," Nataku said and slammed the door in front of Kenren's face.
Nataku went back to Lei as if nothing happened.
"Tell me."said Nataku with a serious tone. "Who the hell gave you the idea of dressing up as a man?" he added angrily.
Lei didn't answer and couldn't even look at him.
"Of all armies, it had to be mine!"
Nataku floated in the air again, moving nearer Lei with his confusion and anger.
"Aaargh! What will I do with you?" he snarled, ruffling his hair. "There's never been a female soldier before."
Lei just sat there, staring at her hands which she clutched on her lap.
Nataku calmed himself and floated with both arms and legs crossed.
"What'll I do with you? Impersonating a soldier is a serious offense.but I'm not good at thinking up of punishments."
Unexpectedly, the door burst open. It happened so fast that Lei didn't have time to cover herself, and Nataku was so surprised that he fell out of the air and onto Lei's bed, facing the door.
Shien was the culprit, and when he saw what was in the room, his unhinged brain made a hasty conclusion.
He stared at Natku, who was still at a state of shock, and then at Lei, who was half-naked except for the bandages she wore around her chest and the pants that she wore under the blanket.
"Nataku-sama, how could you do such a thing?" He exclaimed, shocked.
Nataku blinked several times before he realized what Shien had said. He floated up to him and hit Shien on the head.
"BAKERO! What do you think I was doing?" Nataku yelled.
"Well, what do YOU think it looked like?"
Nataku didn't answer and instead asked, "What're you doing here anyway?"
Shien didn't have to answer. Kami-sama himself appeared before the door, his servants in tow.
"Kami-sama!" Lei exclaimed, surprised. She stood up and kneeled beside her bed.
Kami-sama looked at Nataku, then at Lei, and then back at Nataku.
"Nataku Taishi." he said without the slightest change of expression. "If you think that talking with this woman is more important than meeting me, then you lack the obedience I want in a fighting-god." Nataku looked up, expecting the inevitable.
"However." Kami-sama added. "I will be merciful and give you a light punishment. You are to execute a mission, with no other soldier but this girl."
Lei looked up at Kami-sama, not knowing whether to be glad or horrified. Kami-sama continued.
"Your mission is to stop the revival of the demon, Zerev, and you will stay in Togenkyo unless you finish the mission."
Nataku looked like he was deprived of everything he had.
"You will leave Tenkai tomorrow." Kami-sama added and left.
The three people in the room stared at the door even if there wasn't anyone there.