"Star Lovers" by Ai Yuukan
Chapter 2
Lilian pressed a hand to her temple, which throbbed painfully. "Ow." She felt like she had fallen off a building, and her knees were scratched and the cuts were lightly dusted with dirt. Wincing, she tried to wipe out the dirt with the softest of touches, and once she couldn't do any more, she stood up and looked around, brushing her hand on her navy-pleated skirt.
She was in a dusty alley somewhere, with strange-looking houses all around. She could hardly remember anything that had happened in the last ten minutes. only a strong, blue light that had felt so cool and refreshing against her skin. Wait! Lilian suddenly remembered. the library! She leaned against the wall of the nearest house to think. She could remember feeling the air around her become moist and cool, and the stairs near the juice machine.
Lilian's eyes widened with sudden apprehension. The juice machine? Didn't Yui once tell her that was where Miaka had first seen Suzaku? And she had climbed up those stairs to that Important Documents Reference Room? Lilian paled. She could only remember climbing those steps. but what if.
Lilian shook her head. Everything was just too strange. She suddenly heard someone running in her direction and whirled around. All of a sudden, someone slammed into her and knocked her to the ground. Lilian sat up and stared at the girl who was staring at her with fear.
Lilian gaped. "Yui!" She looked behind her friend and saw two thugs leering at them. Lilian gasped. Yui's breathing was hurried and frightened. Lilian grew angry. Who did those two thugs think they were doing? Everything was happening just like Yui had told her happened the first time she entered the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. To suffer like that twice. Lilian's anger quickly burst in a fit of temper, her blood boiling like hot silver. She stood up and stood in front of her friend. "What do you two clowns think you're doing?"
She gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth when she first heard herself speak. She was speaking in a different language and it sounded like. ancient Chinese! "What did you call us?" One of the thugs said gruffly.
Lilian forgot her astonishment when she felt Yui tremble behind her. "You heard me! What do you think you're doing? Do you know who she is?!"
The uglier thug looked to his friend. "She's a strange one, but she's make us some good money, too."
Lilian's temper rose up like an angry flood. "Excuse me?!"
The other thug leered at her. "She looks good. her friend, too. I wonder if they're as tasty as they look." His friend laughed evilly.
Lilian saw red. "Fools!" She reached into her skirt pocket and took out her pepper spray. She grabbed Yui's hand. She wanted to beat the thugs to an inch of their lives, but she knew their safety came first. She sprayed the pepper spray directly in their eyes and tugged Yui's hand.
"Ahh! What's this?!"
Yui stared at Lilian, frightened. Lilian tugged again. "Yui! Let's go! Run!"
Yui came alive. Together, the two ran down the alley. At the end of the alley, they slammed into the thug's friends. Yui gave out a small little cry and hid behind Lilian. Lilian tried to spray the pepper spray in their eyes as well, but the little can was empty! Lilian swore. She forgot! She had used most of them on the perverts in the airplane yesterday! She felt a tingling on the spot between her collarbones. A cool wind rush against her heart and she heard a mysterious voice speak in her mind.
Save yourself and your friend. Use the power within you! Use it! Lilian felt a surge of cool energy rush into her palms and felt as if a wave had crashed against her soul. She lifted her hand. Use it!
"Shogun!" A wrinkled old lady hobbled to the general, remarkably nimble-footed in her haste. The general halted his horse and waited, mostly out of curiosity. He had never seen an old lady run so fast.
"Hai?"
"Shogun, there are two young ladies behind my house. getting attacked by thugs! You must help them! The poor things."
The general's eyes hardened at the information. In the back of his mind, an image of his mother being brutally raped by soldiers flashed. He nodded. "Where is your house?"
The old lady looked grateful. "Just over there, shogun. Hurry. the taller girl tried to run. but the thugs' friends caught them."
"I see. Thank you for telling me."
"No, thank you." The old lady said, as the general rode away. She had never dreamed she would ever have the courage to speak to the infamous general directly. she had heard he had a heart of ice and eyes that were even more ruthless. But she had seen the alarm flash in the general's piercing blue eyes and she wondered. Could he be as emotionless as everyone said? Could he be as evil?
Nakago saw the thugs come into view when he neared the smallest house at the end of the street and saw the two young girls the old lady had told him about.
The taller of the girls had long silvery hair that whipped behind her in an unseen wind, and eyes as blue as the sea. She was regally beautiful, and fascinating in her fury. His eyes fell to the glowing blue symbol in between her collarbones. His eyes widened and raced to the girl hiding behind her. She was a blond, with troubled blue eyes. He saw the strange clothes of the girls and his mind raced with the implications.
The taller girl's eyes suddenly glowed blue. With one arm protectively guarding the more frightened girl, she raised a hand and he saw her body radiate a blue light. His horse paced. He just stared, dumbstruck. Suddenly, a thick jet of water shoot out of the air in front of the girl's open hand and struck all four of the thugs with the force of a tidal wave. She grabbed the girl's hand and ran.
Lilian didn't know how she had done what she had just done, but she had saved Yui. She ran, not knowing where to run, but simply ran, her fear just as great as Yui's. She skidded to a halt before a tall horse and jerked her head up. She looked into a pair of piercing blue eyes and swayed. There were men everywhere! She was truly scared now. She turned and ran in the opposite direction, back where she had come.
"Wait!"
Yui ran behind her, just as frightened, just as panicked. Lilian now knew Yui's fear. She could only feel the need to run. to get away. At the end of the alley, she slammed right back into the first two thugs she had escaped. They saw her clearly now. Lilian's eyes widened with fear.
Angry, the two thugs slammed the two girls into the back door of one of the houses of the alley. Lilian was starting to see black. One of them slammed shut the door and she felt herself slammed against a cold, dirt floor. "No! NO! Yui!!" The thug ripped open her blouse savagely. She kicked the thug away and slammed the thug over Yui against the wall. Yui was crying. Lilian threw open the door and pushed her friend outside. She tried to follow but a thug closed the door in her face. She heard Yui beat against the flimsy wooden door and started to cry. "Get away from me! No! NO!" The thugs had her down on cold dirt floor and one of them slapped her face when she tried to bite the hands that were touching her.
"No!" She heard Yui crying and screaming against the bolted door. "No! Someone help!" Lilian sobbed and feebly tried to punch the nearest thug away. He swore and slammed down her arm. Lilian cried out as she heard and felt the sickening crunch of her bone and yielded even more to the coming darkness. She saw a flash of blue before all went black.
Nakago held the crying woman in his arms back in the Kotou palace. The blond girl was hysterical, worrying for her friend. He had come just in time and had blasted the two thugs to pieces with his chi. The silver- haired woman had fainted, badly beaten. She was recovering in his chamber, and healing extremely fast. He had cast a healing spell on her a few hours ago and he had been astounded at how easily the girl had absorbed his magic. Her soul had greedily sucked up the magic he had used on her and her arm had been repaired within minutes.
The two girls were both not of this world. of this he was sure. The taller girl, the one in his chamber, was a seishi, for he had seen the blue symbol glow on her person before he had interfered. He had not seen the symbol before it had faded, as his view had been obscured by the body he had been shredding. He would know the symbol when the girl awakened, so he was not overly concerned. The girl who was crying in his arms, however, was crying for that girl, and he knew that one of the first steps to be gaining her trust was to express concern for her friend. He wanted to begin pressuring the girl to consent to being the Seiryuu no Miko, but he knew now was not the time.
"What is her name?"
Yui's sobs had subsided, comforted by the man who called himself Nakago for twenty minutes. Yui was crying for the girl she didn't know. the girl who had saved her. The girl had pushed her out of harm's way only to be. by those thugs. If it hadn't been for her, Yui knew she would have been the one to have been. She trembled. She owed the girl her life. If it wasn't for her, nothing like what happened would have happened to her. She felt terrible. She was so distraught, that at first, she didn't hear Nakago's question. He repeated his question for her and Yui shrugged helplessly. "I. don't know."
"You don't know?" Nakago frowned, puzzled, and tried to piece everything together. Yui had obviously been a stranger to the silver- haired girl before she had been rescued by her. The silver-haired girl was a seishi. Had she sensed the girls' chi and come to her rescue? Intriguing.
"What is your name?"
Yui looked down at her hands, distraught. "Yui. Hongou, Yui."
"Shogun?" A soldier appeared at the doorway to the room.
"Yes?" Nakago looked at the soldier over Yui's head.
"Shogun? A servant asked me to tell you that. the girl in your chamber has awakened."
Yui's head shot up. "She's awake?" She fairly knocked down the solider, dashing out of the room.
Nakago heard the future Seiryuu no Miko run down the hall to his chamber before staring hard at the soldier. "And?"
The soldier looked uncomfortable. "The girl. is perfectly healed, my lord. But.she knows your name, Shogun!"
Nakago stood up. "Nani?"
The soldier forced himself to stay his ground. The shogun looked shocked. and dangerous. "She woke up, completely healed, my lord. She said to the servant, 'Where is Yui? What has Nakago done to her?' She ran the servant out of your chamber, my lord."
Nakago's eyes hardened. "Very.strange."
"Yui!" Lilian jumped off the bed and ran to hug her friend who had ran into the room. They hugged. "Yui! I was so worried! Are you okay?"
Yui hugged her new friend. "I'm fine. I'm so happy you're okay." She felt like crying again. The girl was okay. Thank goodness.
Lilian was near to tears, too. "I'm happy, too, Yui. But what about Nakago? What did he say to you? What are we doing in Kotou?" While she had been sleeping, Lilian had had dreams. She had remembered Yui telling her that Nakago had rescued her just in time, that she hadn't been raped, but Nakago had told her otherwise. Lilian was worried Nakago had been lying to Yui again.
She knew the man who had been on the horse had been Nakago. How could she have forgotten those eyes? Yui had described those eyes countless times and had described him as wearing a blue cloak and dragon armour. How could she have forgotten? She shouldn't have run away from him, even if he was evil. She would have been safer with him and she wouldn't have been.
Pain coursed through Lilian's soul. Yui's eyes reflected the pain she saw in Lilian's sea-blue eyes. She was remembering her rape. But Yui suddenly remembered Lilian's question. "Where is Kotou? How do you know Nakago? Have you two met before?"
Lilian froze. What the.? She just stared at Yui. What's going on?
The mysterious, familiar voice appeared like an answering rain in her head. She pressed a hand to her head, confused. You are in the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. You are at the beginning of the book. Your name is Taishi.
Lilian shook her head. Yui looked at her strangely. "Are you okay?"
My name is Lilian. Lilian Smith!
You are the seishi Taishi. You have been claimed by Seiryuu. You have saved the Seiryuu no Miko from her shame, Taishi. For that, you have been granted my eternal blessing. You have the power to rewrite the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, but you must not misuse that power. You know the future, so you must not rewrite the past too greatly. Allow the six events of sorrow to pass, and do not interfere or you shall suffer the wrath of the five gods. Use your power only for the good of Seiryuu and his seishi, and never for your own ends. This is my warning. Heed it.
The voice passed from Lilian like a receding wave, leaving her mind refreshingly cool and calm, but it wasn't long before she was confused again. What was going on? She was at the beginning of the book? The beginning of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho? What was she supposed to do?
You have been claimed by Seiryuu. Therefore, you are a Seiryuu Seishi. You serve Seiryuu no Miko.
Lilian stared at Yui, realization dawning. "Seiryuu no Miko." Lilian suddenly saw a tall blond man standing at the door to her room. Her eyes widened with recognition. Those eyes! "Nakago!"
Nakago's eyes narrowed. He strode into the room. "Who are you?"
"Nakago!" Yui was shocked at the general's command. Why did he sound so suspicious of her new friend? Then it occurred to her then that she didn't even know the name of her new friend. She smiled gently at the girl. "What's your name?"
Lilian looked away. "My name is Lilian Smith." She said stubbornly. You serve the Seiryuu Seishi and the Seiryuu no Miko. You will be known as Taishi. She slumped her shoulders in resignation. "My seishi name is." Taishi. Lilian clenched her fists. "Fine! Taishi!" Her blue eyes narrowed angrily at the voice in her head.
Nakago's eyes flashed. Taishi? She was no ordinary seishi, then. She was a seishi who served Taittsukun. She was not a Seiryuu seishi then. unless. "Which god do you serve?"
Seiryuu. Lilian wished she could ignore the voice, but it persisted, ringing in her mind like a pealing bell. Lilian gave a low growl. "Seiryuu! I have been claimed by Seiryuu!"
Nakago relaxed at that. So Seiryuu had claimed her. That made her, at least, an honorary Seiryuu seishi. Some of his questions were answered, but not all. He turned to Yui, who was staring at them both in confusion, and bowed his head. "Lady Yui. will you leave us?"
Lilian bristled at the gentle tone of Nakago's voice. The cad! He was set on winning Yui's trust yet again! Well, she wouldn't allow it! She stood. You serve the Seiryuu Seishi. You serve Nakago.
If the person in her head was standing right in front of her, Lilian would have spit in his face. So you say. But I'm not one to be controlled! She glared at Nakago. "I will be in the temple. I need. to think." She marched angrily out of the room and the voice in her head sighed. Lilian almost smiled.
The temple was empty. Perfect. She closed her eyes. I know you're in there.
You are to obey me.
Lilian bristled. Unconditionally? Without question?
Yes.
Lilian stuck her nose in the air. Then you might as well send me out of the book. I'm not following anyone at the moment. Especially someone as arrogant as you.
You will follow Nakago.
Lilian's temper got the best of her. "Hah! I'd rather rot!"
You are the seishi Taishi. You are now a Seiryuu seishi.
"I am not a Seiryuu Seishi! I'm not following anyone ! Especially that bastard, Nakago!"
Nakago listened intently as he leaned against a pillar. Interesting.
It is your duty.
"I don't have a duty! Why did you bring me here anyway? I want to go home!"
You cannot.
Lilian's bravado trembled at that. "Why not?"
You are the Seiryuu seishi, Taishi.
"I am not a Seiryuu Seishi!" The water in the temple stirred at Lilian's near roar.
Sit and listen. Trembling, Lilian sank down and sat on the cold stone. Her mind was in shambles. I'm giving you five minutes.
You will not direct my actions. Ever again.
"Ah, shut up about that or I'm going to bang you out of my head!"
You are the seishi Taishi. What did Yui tell you about the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho?
Lilian forced her mind to remain calm. "The book? She told me everything."
There are four gods of the north, west, east, and south.
Lilian slowly nodded, remembering. "Genbu, Byakko, Seiryuu, and Suzaku."
That is correct. But there is also a fifth deity. She is the center god. She governs all four countries of Konan, Kotou, Hokkan, and Sairou. You are one of her six seishi. Lilian frowned at that. "But doesn't every god have seven seishi? And a miko?"
There are only six. The center god has no need of a miko. The six seishi of the center god serve her and the balance of the Shi Jin Ten Chi. You serve the balance.
"The balance? What's wrong with the balance?"
The balance in the Shi Jin Ten Chi is in chaos, brought on by the four mikos. Genbu no Miko. She died before she could make her final wish. Byakko no Miko. She made a wish that could not be granted. Seiryuu no Miko. She arrived at the same time as the Suzaku no Miko, when both stories should be told only one at a time. The Suzaku no Miko summoned Suzaku through unnatural means. All four of them have contributed to the chaos in the Shi Jin Ten Chi. The center god has offered the services of four of her seishi to the four gods to right this balance. You have been claimed by Seiryuu. Your sister, Vivien, is the seishi Kyoku. Your sister, Kathryn, is the seishi Shoshi. Your sister Samantha is the seishi Tei. You are the seishi Taishi. You were trained for five years for this role. Remember your lessons, Seiryuu seishi, Taishi, and remember all that I have said. This shall be the last time I shall speak to you until you have either failed or succeeded in preventing the Seiryuu no Miko from summoning her animal god.
Lilian's head was spinning. "Wait!" The voice paused. "Who are you?"
I am the god Seiryuu. You are my seishi, Taishi. Remember your duty. Remember your training. Until we meet again, Seiryuu seishi, Taishi.
Then the voice was gone. Lilian buried her face in her hands, her mind denying that all the voice had said was false, but her heart quietly told her that all was true, and she was grieved.
Lilian pressed a hand to her temple, which throbbed painfully. "Ow." She felt like she had fallen off a building, and her knees were scratched and the cuts were lightly dusted with dirt. Wincing, she tried to wipe out the dirt with the softest of touches, and once she couldn't do any more, she stood up and looked around, brushing her hand on her navy-pleated skirt.
She was in a dusty alley somewhere, with strange-looking houses all around. She could hardly remember anything that had happened in the last ten minutes. only a strong, blue light that had felt so cool and refreshing against her skin. Wait! Lilian suddenly remembered. the library! She leaned against the wall of the nearest house to think. She could remember feeling the air around her become moist and cool, and the stairs near the juice machine.
Lilian's eyes widened with sudden apprehension. The juice machine? Didn't Yui once tell her that was where Miaka had first seen Suzaku? And she had climbed up those stairs to that Important Documents Reference Room? Lilian paled. She could only remember climbing those steps. but what if.
Lilian shook her head. Everything was just too strange. She suddenly heard someone running in her direction and whirled around. All of a sudden, someone slammed into her and knocked her to the ground. Lilian sat up and stared at the girl who was staring at her with fear.
Lilian gaped. "Yui!" She looked behind her friend and saw two thugs leering at them. Lilian gasped. Yui's breathing was hurried and frightened. Lilian grew angry. Who did those two thugs think they were doing? Everything was happening just like Yui had told her happened the first time she entered the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. To suffer like that twice. Lilian's anger quickly burst in a fit of temper, her blood boiling like hot silver. She stood up and stood in front of her friend. "What do you two clowns think you're doing?"
She gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth when she first heard herself speak. She was speaking in a different language and it sounded like. ancient Chinese! "What did you call us?" One of the thugs said gruffly.
Lilian forgot her astonishment when she felt Yui tremble behind her. "You heard me! What do you think you're doing? Do you know who she is?!"
The uglier thug looked to his friend. "She's a strange one, but she's make us some good money, too."
Lilian's temper rose up like an angry flood. "Excuse me?!"
The other thug leered at her. "She looks good. her friend, too. I wonder if they're as tasty as they look." His friend laughed evilly.
Lilian saw red. "Fools!" She reached into her skirt pocket and took out her pepper spray. She grabbed Yui's hand. She wanted to beat the thugs to an inch of their lives, but she knew their safety came first. She sprayed the pepper spray directly in their eyes and tugged Yui's hand.
"Ahh! What's this?!"
Yui stared at Lilian, frightened. Lilian tugged again. "Yui! Let's go! Run!"
Yui came alive. Together, the two ran down the alley. At the end of the alley, they slammed into the thug's friends. Yui gave out a small little cry and hid behind Lilian. Lilian tried to spray the pepper spray in their eyes as well, but the little can was empty! Lilian swore. She forgot! She had used most of them on the perverts in the airplane yesterday! She felt a tingling on the spot between her collarbones. A cool wind rush against her heart and she heard a mysterious voice speak in her mind.
Save yourself and your friend. Use the power within you! Use it! Lilian felt a surge of cool energy rush into her palms and felt as if a wave had crashed against her soul. She lifted her hand. Use it!
"Shogun!" A wrinkled old lady hobbled to the general, remarkably nimble-footed in her haste. The general halted his horse and waited, mostly out of curiosity. He had never seen an old lady run so fast.
"Hai?"
"Shogun, there are two young ladies behind my house. getting attacked by thugs! You must help them! The poor things."
The general's eyes hardened at the information. In the back of his mind, an image of his mother being brutally raped by soldiers flashed. He nodded. "Where is your house?"
The old lady looked grateful. "Just over there, shogun. Hurry. the taller girl tried to run. but the thugs' friends caught them."
"I see. Thank you for telling me."
"No, thank you." The old lady said, as the general rode away. She had never dreamed she would ever have the courage to speak to the infamous general directly. she had heard he had a heart of ice and eyes that were even more ruthless. But she had seen the alarm flash in the general's piercing blue eyes and she wondered. Could he be as emotionless as everyone said? Could he be as evil?
Nakago saw the thugs come into view when he neared the smallest house at the end of the street and saw the two young girls the old lady had told him about.
The taller of the girls had long silvery hair that whipped behind her in an unseen wind, and eyes as blue as the sea. She was regally beautiful, and fascinating in her fury. His eyes fell to the glowing blue symbol in between her collarbones. His eyes widened and raced to the girl hiding behind her. She was a blond, with troubled blue eyes. He saw the strange clothes of the girls and his mind raced with the implications.
The taller girl's eyes suddenly glowed blue. With one arm protectively guarding the more frightened girl, she raised a hand and he saw her body radiate a blue light. His horse paced. He just stared, dumbstruck. Suddenly, a thick jet of water shoot out of the air in front of the girl's open hand and struck all four of the thugs with the force of a tidal wave. She grabbed the girl's hand and ran.
Lilian didn't know how she had done what she had just done, but she had saved Yui. She ran, not knowing where to run, but simply ran, her fear just as great as Yui's. She skidded to a halt before a tall horse and jerked her head up. She looked into a pair of piercing blue eyes and swayed. There were men everywhere! She was truly scared now. She turned and ran in the opposite direction, back where she had come.
"Wait!"
Yui ran behind her, just as frightened, just as panicked. Lilian now knew Yui's fear. She could only feel the need to run. to get away. At the end of the alley, she slammed right back into the first two thugs she had escaped. They saw her clearly now. Lilian's eyes widened with fear.
Angry, the two thugs slammed the two girls into the back door of one of the houses of the alley. Lilian was starting to see black. One of them slammed shut the door and she felt herself slammed against a cold, dirt floor. "No! NO! Yui!!" The thug ripped open her blouse savagely. She kicked the thug away and slammed the thug over Yui against the wall. Yui was crying. Lilian threw open the door and pushed her friend outside. She tried to follow but a thug closed the door in her face. She heard Yui beat against the flimsy wooden door and started to cry. "Get away from me! No! NO!" The thugs had her down on cold dirt floor and one of them slapped her face when she tried to bite the hands that were touching her.
"No!" She heard Yui crying and screaming against the bolted door. "No! Someone help!" Lilian sobbed and feebly tried to punch the nearest thug away. He swore and slammed down her arm. Lilian cried out as she heard and felt the sickening crunch of her bone and yielded even more to the coming darkness. She saw a flash of blue before all went black.
Nakago held the crying woman in his arms back in the Kotou palace. The blond girl was hysterical, worrying for her friend. He had come just in time and had blasted the two thugs to pieces with his chi. The silver- haired woman had fainted, badly beaten. She was recovering in his chamber, and healing extremely fast. He had cast a healing spell on her a few hours ago and he had been astounded at how easily the girl had absorbed his magic. Her soul had greedily sucked up the magic he had used on her and her arm had been repaired within minutes.
The two girls were both not of this world. of this he was sure. The taller girl, the one in his chamber, was a seishi, for he had seen the blue symbol glow on her person before he had interfered. He had not seen the symbol before it had faded, as his view had been obscured by the body he had been shredding. He would know the symbol when the girl awakened, so he was not overly concerned. The girl who was crying in his arms, however, was crying for that girl, and he knew that one of the first steps to be gaining her trust was to express concern for her friend. He wanted to begin pressuring the girl to consent to being the Seiryuu no Miko, but he knew now was not the time.
"What is her name?"
Yui's sobs had subsided, comforted by the man who called himself Nakago for twenty minutes. Yui was crying for the girl she didn't know. the girl who had saved her. The girl had pushed her out of harm's way only to be. by those thugs. If it hadn't been for her, Yui knew she would have been the one to have been. She trembled. She owed the girl her life. If it wasn't for her, nothing like what happened would have happened to her. She felt terrible. She was so distraught, that at first, she didn't hear Nakago's question. He repeated his question for her and Yui shrugged helplessly. "I. don't know."
"You don't know?" Nakago frowned, puzzled, and tried to piece everything together. Yui had obviously been a stranger to the silver- haired girl before she had been rescued by her. The silver-haired girl was a seishi. Had she sensed the girls' chi and come to her rescue? Intriguing.
"What is your name?"
Yui looked down at her hands, distraught. "Yui. Hongou, Yui."
"Shogun?" A soldier appeared at the doorway to the room.
"Yes?" Nakago looked at the soldier over Yui's head.
"Shogun? A servant asked me to tell you that. the girl in your chamber has awakened."
Yui's head shot up. "She's awake?" She fairly knocked down the solider, dashing out of the room.
Nakago heard the future Seiryuu no Miko run down the hall to his chamber before staring hard at the soldier. "And?"
The soldier looked uncomfortable. "The girl. is perfectly healed, my lord. But.she knows your name, Shogun!"
Nakago stood up. "Nani?"
The soldier forced himself to stay his ground. The shogun looked shocked. and dangerous. "She woke up, completely healed, my lord. She said to the servant, 'Where is Yui? What has Nakago done to her?' She ran the servant out of your chamber, my lord."
Nakago's eyes hardened. "Very.strange."
"Yui!" Lilian jumped off the bed and ran to hug her friend who had ran into the room. They hugged. "Yui! I was so worried! Are you okay?"
Yui hugged her new friend. "I'm fine. I'm so happy you're okay." She felt like crying again. The girl was okay. Thank goodness.
Lilian was near to tears, too. "I'm happy, too, Yui. But what about Nakago? What did he say to you? What are we doing in Kotou?" While she had been sleeping, Lilian had had dreams. She had remembered Yui telling her that Nakago had rescued her just in time, that she hadn't been raped, but Nakago had told her otherwise. Lilian was worried Nakago had been lying to Yui again.
She knew the man who had been on the horse had been Nakago. How could she have forgotten those eyes? Yui had described those eyes countless times and had described him as wearing a blue cloak and dragon armour. How could she have forgotten? She shouldn't have run away from him, even if he was evil. She would have been safer with him and she wouldn't have been.
Pain coursed through Lilian's soul. Yui's eyes reflected the pain she saw in Lilian's sea-blue eyes. She was remembering her rape. But Yui suddenly remembered Lilian's question. "Where is Kotou? How do you know Nakago? Have you two met before?"
Lilian froze. What the.? She just stared at Yui. What's going on?
The mysterious, familiar voice appeared like an answering rain in her head. She pressed a hand to her head, confused. You are in the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. You are at the beginning of the book. Your name is Taishi.
Lilian shook her head. Yui looked at her strangely. "Are you okay?"
My name is Lilian. Lilian Smith!
You are the seishi Taishi. You have been claimed by Seiryuu. You have saved the Seiryuu no Miko from her shame, Taishi. For that, you have been granted my eternal blessing. You have the power to rewrite the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, but you must not misuse that power. You know the future, so you must not rewrite the past too greatly. Allow the six events of sorrow to pass, and do not interfere or you shall suffer the wrath of the five gods. Use your power only for the good of Seiryuu and his seishi, and never for your own ends. This is my warning. Heed it.
The voice passed from Lilian like a receding wave, leaving her mind refreshingly cool and calm, but it wasn't long before she was confused again. What was going on? She was at the beginning of the book? The beginning of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho? What was she supposed to do?
You have been claimed by Seiryuu. Therefore, you are a Seiryuu Seishi. You serve Seiryuu no Miko.
Lilian stared at Yui, realization dawning. "Seiryuu no Miko." Lilian suddenly saw a tall blond man standing at the door to her room. Her eyes widened with recognition. Those eyes! "Nakago!"
Nakago's eyes narrowed. He strode into the room. "Who are you?"
"Nakago!" Yui was shocked at the general's command. Why did he sound so suspicious of her new friend? Then it occurred to her then that she didn't even know the name of her new friend. She smiled gently at the girl. "What's your name?"
Lilian looked away. "My name is Lilian Smith." She said stubbornly. You serve the Seiryuu Seishi and the Seiryuu no Miko. You will be known as Taishi. She slumped her shoulders in resignation. "My seishi name is." Taishi. Lilian clenched her fists. "Fine! Taishi!" Her blue eyes narrowed angrily at the voice in her head.
Nakago's eyes flashed. Taishi? She was no ordinary seishi, then. She was a seishi who served Taittsukun. She was not a Seiryuu seishi then. unless. "Which god do you serve?"
Seiryuu. Lilian wished she could ignore the voice, but it persisted, ringing in her mind like a pealing bell. Lilian gave a low growl. "Seiryuu! I have been claimed by Seiryuu!"
Nakago relaxed at that. So Seiryuu had claimed her. That made her, at least, an honorary Seiryuu seishi. Some of his questions were answered, but not all. He turned to Yui, who was staring at them both in confusion, and bowed his head. "Lady Yui. will you leave us?"
Lilian bristled at the gentle tone of Nakago's voice. The cad! He was set on winning Yui's trust yet again! Well, she wouldn't allow it! She stood. You serve the Seiryuu Seishi. You serve Nakago.
If the person in her head was standing right in front of her, Lilian would have spit in his face. So you say. But I'm not one to be controlled! She glared at Nakago. "I will be in the temple. I need. to think." She marched angrily out of the room and the voice in her head sighed. Lilian almost smiled.
The temple was empty. Perfect. She closed her eyes. I know you're in there.
You are to obey me.
Lilian bristled. Unconditionally? Without question?
Yes.
Lilian stuck her nose in the air. Then you might as well send me out of the book. I'm not following anyone at the moment. Especially someone as arrogant as you.
You will follow Nakago.
Lilian's temper got the best of her. "Hah! I'd rather rot!"
You are the seishi Taishi. You are now a Seiryuu seishi.
"I am not a Seiryuu Seishi! I'm not following anyone ! Especially that bastard, Nakago!"
Nakago listened intently as he leaned against a pillar. Interesting.
It is your duty.
"I don't have a duty! Why did you bring me here anyway? I want to go home!"
You cannot.
Lilian's bravado trembled at that. "Why not?"
You are the Seiryuu seishi, Taishi.
"I am not a Seiryuu Seishi!" The water in the temple stirred at Lilian's near roar.
Sit and listen. Trembling, Lilian sank down and sat on the cold stone. Her mind was in shambles. I'm giving you five minutes.
You will not direct my actions. Ever again.
"Ah, shut up about that or I'm going to bang you out of my head!"
You are the seishi Taishi. What did Yui tell you about the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho?
Lilian forced her mind to remain calm. "The book? She told me everything."
There are four gods of the north, west, east, and south.
Lilian slowly nodded, remembering. "Genbu, Byakko, Seiryuu, and Suzaku."
That is correct. But there is also a fifth deity. She is the center god. She governs all four countries of Konan, Kotou, Hokkan, and Sairou. You are one of her six seishi. Lilian frowned at that. "But doesn't every god have seven seishi? And a miko?"
There are only six. The center god has no need of a miko. The six seishi of the center god serve her and the balance of the Shi Jin Ten Chi. You serve the balance.
"The balance? What's wrong with the balance?"
The balance in the Shi Jin Ten Chi is in chaos, brought on by the four mikos. Genbu no Miko. She died before she could make her final wish. Byakko no Miko. She made a wish that could not be granted. Seiryuu no Miko. She arrived at the same time as the Suzaku no Miko, when both stories should be told only one at a time. The Suzaku no Miko summoned Suzaku through unnatural means. All four of them have contributed to the chaos in the Shi Jin Ten Chi. The center god has offered the services of four of her seishi to the four gods to right this balance. You have been claimed by Seiryuu. Your sister, Vivien, is the seishi Kyoku. Your sister, Kathryn, is the seishi Shoshi. Your sister Samantha is the seishi Tei. You are the seishi Taishi. You were trained for five years for this role. Remember your lessons, Seiryuu seishi, Taishi, and remember all that I have said. This shall be the last time I shall speak to you until you have either failed or succeeded in preventing the Seiryuu no Miko from summoning her animal god.
Lilian's head was spinning. "Wait!" The voice paused. "Who are you?"
I am the god Seiryuu. You are my seishi, Taishi. Remember your duty. Remember your training. Until we meet again, Seiryuu seishi, Taishi.
Then the voice was gone. Lilian buried her face in her hands, her mind denying that all the voice had said was false, but her heart quietly told her that all was true, and she was grieved.
