Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Thirteen Dragons
High atop a lonely, barren mountain, the witch tossed a few crumbled herb leaves into the concoction she was brewing. The water in the cauldron was murky and yellowish, and reeked of pungent herbs and less savory things. The witch waved her hands over the mixture and muttered something, then resumed stirring. Behind her, a figure in black armor stepped onto the platform. The witch did not respond, just emptied a pouch of white powder into the brew.
"Baba," the dark figure said. His voice was deep and menacing, with a hint of grinding rocks to it. He idly rested a gauntleted hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Put silver in the bowl, I don't do tellings for free," she said in a cracked, ancient voice. She gestured vaguely to a polished wooden bowl on a tattered brown blanket. Also occupying it was a set of speaking stones, some bones covered in stylized glyphs, and a small, glittering red stone. The dark man looked at it, then turned his icy gaze on her again.
"I do not carry coins," he replied.
The witch still did not turn. "Then something of equal value will do. I'm not picky, just pay up," she growled. She heard the ring of a blade being pulled from its sheath. She smirked. "That would not be wise, warrior. I am not without my defenses."
He mirrored her smirk. "My blade is solid silver. Tell me accurately and completely, and I shall give it to you." She turned an eye on him.
"Oh-ho? For a warrior to give up such a fine weapon... Very well." She took the wooden spoon from the brew and made it vanish into her vast robes. "What would you have me tell you? The future perhaps? Or where to find your true love?" She cackled. "Perhaps you want revenge, eh?"
He smiled. It was not pleasant. It reminded the witch of graves. "Something like that. I want you to tell me how I can gain the power to destroy all youkai."
"All youkai?" she repeated. "That is quite a feet, young warrior." She moved over to the brown, holey blanket and slowly settled on it, adjusting her robes like a young girl before a handsome man. But she wasn't young, and he wasn't handsome. Yes, his features were chiseled and well-formed, but he was so cold and dark, that there was no way he could be called handsome.
"Just tell me what I want to know," he snapped. The afternoon sun glittered off his silver blade.
"Alright, alright. Calm down. Come, sit across from me." He did so. The mountain witch scooped up the speaking stones and cast them. Their setting meant nothing to the warrior. The witch seemed intent on them, however. She took out a small, clear stone on a gold chain and cupped it in her hands and began to murmur to herself. The crystal shimmered and began to glow.
"There are mighty forces in this world, warrior. They are not known, and very well hidden. If you can find and defeat these 13 forces, you may take their power, and there is no youkai in the world that may stand against you."
"Where can I find them?"
"They are never static, always moving. You must have some means to track them other than mundane." She looked up at him. "Here, take this crystal. When pointed in the direction of one of these forces, it will glow." She held out the crystal, which had returned to it's normal state. The warrior in dark armor took and tucked it safely away. He pushed himself to his feet and dusted himself off. The witch held out one gnarled, ancient hand. "And now for the sword..."
The warrior hoisted the blade. "Yes. I said I would give you my sword." With one swift movement he thrust the sword through her ancient, greedy heart. Her eyes widened, and a trickle of blood flowed down her chin. "Here it is."
He pulled the weapon free and wiped it clean on her robes. Then he turned on his heel and began to walk down the mountain, leaving the witch to lie in her own blackened blood.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thirteen Dragons
High atop a lonely, barren mountain, the witch tossed a few crumbled herb leaves into the concoction she was brewing. The water in the cauldron was murky and yellowish, and reeked of pungent herbs and less savory things. The witch waved her hands over the mixture and muttered something, then resumed stirring. Behind her, a figure in black armor stepped onto the platform. The witch did not respond, just emptied a pouch of white powder into the brew.
"Baba," the dark figure said. His voice was deep and menacing, with a hint of grinding rocks to it. He idly rested a gauntleted hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Put silver in the bowl, I don't do tellings for free," she said in a cracked, ancient voice. She gestured vaguely to a polished wooden bowl on a tattered brown blanket. Also occupying it was a set of speaking stones, some bones covered in stylized glyphs, and a small, glittering red stone. The dark man looked at it, then turned his icy gaze on her again.
"I do not carry coins," he replied.
The witch still did not turn. "Then something of equal value will do. I'm not picky, just pay up," she growled. She heard the ring of a blade being pulled from its sheath. She smirked. "That would not be wise, warrior. I am not without my defenses."
He mirrored her smirk. "My blade is solid silver. Tell me accurately and completely, and I shall give it to you." She turned an eye on him.
"Oh-ho? For a warrior to give up such a fine weapon... Very well." She took the wooden spoon from the brew and made it vanish into her vast robes. "What would you have me tell you? The future perhaps? Or where to find your true love?" She cackled. "Perhaps you want revenge, eh?"
He smiled. It was not pleasant. It reminded the witch of graves. "Something like that. I want you to tell me how I can gain the power to destroy all youkai."
"All youkai?" she repeated. "That is quite a feet, young warrior." She moved over to the brown, holey blanket and slowly settled on it, adjusting her robes like a young girl before a handsome man. But she wasn't young, and he wasn't handsome. Yes, his features were chiseled and well-formed, but he was so cold and dark, that there was no way he could be called handsome.
"Just tell me what I want to know," he snapped. The afternoon sun glittered off his silver blade.
"Alright, alright. Calm down. Come, sit across from me." He did so. The mountain witch scooped up the speaking stones and cast them. Their setting meant nothing to the warrior. The witch seemed intent on them, however. She took out a small, clear stone on a gold chain and cupped it in her hands and began to murmur to herself. The crystal shimmered and began to glow.
"There are mighty forces in this world, warrior. They are not known, and very well hidden. If you can find and defeat these 13 forces, you may take their power, and there is no youkai in the world that may stand against you."
"Where can I find them?"
"They are never static, always moving. You must have some means to track them other than mundane." She looked up at him. "Here, take this crystal. When pointed in the direction of one of these forces, it will glow." She held out the crystal, which had returned to it's normal state. The warrior in dark armor took and tucked it safely away. He pushed himself to his feet and dusted himself off. The witch held out one gnarled, ancient hand. "And now for the sword..."
The warrior hoisted the blade. "Yes. I said I would give you my sword." With one swift movement he thrust the sword through her ancient, greedy heart. Her eyes widened, and a trickle of blood flowed down her chin. "Here it is."
He pulled the weapon free and wiped it clean on her robes. Then he turned on his heel and began to walk down the mountain, leaving the witch to lie in her own blackened blood.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
