A Fanfic by Yomi no Miko
Chapter 6: Escape
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I decided to leave Nijati before anyone realized Luia was missing. I left town at night, in stealth, like a criminal; was it not what I had become, after all? A few days later I was back to my errant way of life. It didn't sound unappealing to me at all. Nijati and its Elders' council and costumes were such a set back! As for Luia, I managed not to think about her anymore. Once more I had nothing to lose. So, I moved towards the East, for obvious reasons. Since respectful positions didn't seem to work with me, I decided to become a Makai thief and join Youko Kurama's gang. That was like the perfect plan to me, of course.
I intended to travel on my own this time, but after a couple of weeks I had joined a caravan. It was a safer way to travel. Being in the Makai I was very aware of all the danger surrounding me.
Finally I started to hear the notorious legends about Kurama. The caravan was crowded with merchants, hunters and mercenaries who had already been in almost every region of the Makai. At night we would all settle around a fire, taking turns to watch the camp. I naturally volunteered to help with the watch. When I was not taking my patrol turn I joined the others to listen to all the stories they told.
Loto was right. All and a little more was said about Kurama. Some of the rumors were the most foolish and untrue fables there could ever be. But once in a while some actual facts came to light among a whole bunch of bullshit. They said that he drank blood, and could change aspects at will; that he was able to mesmerize his victims. They even added that he controlled all kinds of plants and had stolen treasures even from the Reikai. I also heard, and that was no lie, there were great prizes for his head. Anyone who could catch or kill him would become a rich youkai.
Among the caravan members many powerful warriors could be found, all of them heading East, armed with all kinds of weapons - from mere spears and shields to the most complicated fox traps. Sometimes I thought about poisoning some of them, but I knew how hard and risky that would be, so I just took it out of my mind.
One of those nights a youkai travelling with us started a story about the old times when he had fought "by Raizen's side". What a tale! He should have been just an ordinary, low class soldier like me. He told us that he was part of another group, which has been massacred by Raizen's forces. He added that he changed sides very easily, because if he could not beat Raizen, better join him.
So, that gave me an idea. I decided to change sides and join the ones who chased down Kurama. Those youkai would do all they could to track the youko down. I was accepted as a member by a group formed by five warriors: Lua, Shinji, Loukai, Karima and Lara. The latest was a girl, Karima's partner and an excellent fighter. Shinji was an odd hermaphrodite, but very skilled in the use of swords. Lua and Loukai were no more than brainless brawlers, but were known as two of the best hunters from Makai northlands. Karima was the leader, always trying to put order on his eclectic group of warriors. He was a very coarse person, but he had a powerful you-ki. His plans were to settle down and live peacefully by Lara's side, but he needed the prize for Kurama's head to be able to set a concrete start to his schemes.
There was another important matter regarding this Reward business. Whoever laid hands on Kurama could manage to get from him the exact location where he hid all the treasures he had ever stolen. The eyes of all of those warriors sparkled in greed as they heard such rumors. My eyes sparkled also, I guess; but not for the same reason.
Days and days of a long trip. As we arrived at the edge of that vast forest in the east of the Makai we decided to leave the caravan and follow trails into the forest. The forest was Kurama's territory, was the logic we followed. Many other hunting groups did the same. None of us could imagine the misery that was ahead.
In the middle of that cold, gloomy forest we suffered a sudden outburst of difficulties, coming all around us. Wild beasts and weird bugs attacked us all the time. We got lost. Shinji ate a strange fruit and ended up contorted in pain, dead after a long torturing agony. We started to dispute about everything. Those boastful braggers, Lua and Loukai, ran away taking with them the scarce food we had left. I, Karima and Lara remained there to continue our journey for survival. A few weeks later we were starved and over tired. We could only think about finding a way to leave that cursed place, but it seemed we kept going in circles all the time. It was a very desperate situation.
I had slept for some hours but I felt even worse and more weary when I woke. My companions were still asleep next to me, lying embraced one to the other. They were a beautiful couple; probably the only example of one I had ever seen. It was a shame they were caught in such distress... A few days ago Lara had been bitten by a seemingly ordinary fish while she drank water from the river. We didn't care much about the incident, but the scratch turned into a wound which grew wider day after day. Karima knew there was nothing he could do to help her, and his grief was evident.
I tried to stand up but I felt heavy as if I were tied to a ball and chain. My shoulders and back felt as if they carried a heavy burden. Then I realized there were greenish spots growing all over the skin of my arms. I managed to crawl to the sleeping couple. They were dead. Probably Lara had passed away while I was asleep. Blood flew from Karima's chest, forming a pool in between them. He had killed himself with his knife. I tried my best to pull myself back from that scene. I knew there was nothing that could be done. It was all coming to an end.
After a while I could not feel my legs anymore. My arms were numb, and I could not move them. I was lying down, my head resting on a bag I used for a pillow. I heard a rustling sound, like something crawling amidst the bushes. Instinctively I grabbed my sword, knowing I was too weak to unsheathe it. I tried to sit up, but it was impossible. My muscles didn't obey my will anymore. I turned my head towards the sound, struggling against myself to keep my eyes open. Then I watched an animal coming forth cautiously to stare at me. It was beautiful... It didn't seem to be a beast getting ready to devour me; not that it mattered much at that state of things... It had a very light fur, with silvery reflections, shiny golden eyes and several tails, which I could not number. "Well", I thought, "At least it's something beautiful to see before I die...".
Then I closed my eyes.
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Shrine to Yomi-Sama -
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