Chapter Seven: The Ceremony Fails

Miaka walked back to her room, her head still spinning from Ren's words. She didn't want to tell Taka. In fact she was quite determined not to. She had to tell someone though, and who better then her best friend. She found Yui getting herself ready for bed. Yui looked up as she entered and noticed her face.

"What's the matter Miaka?" she asked, "Is it what I said about Ren earlier?"

"No" Miaka shook her head, "Oh Yui I have to tell someone."

"What?" Yui looked concerned.

"Oh but it's really big and bad news."

"Okay big news I can handle" Yui sat down on her bed slowly, "But bad news Miaka. I don't know about that."

"No I have to tell Yui. And you can't tell Taka either" she knelt before her.

"Okay" Yui nodded.

"It has to be between us."

"Okay Miaka you're starting to scare me, what's going on?" Yui looked at her seriously.

"Okay I'm just going to come out and say it" Miaka stood back up, "Um I just spoke to Ren Shigyou in the garden."

"Ren Shigyou?" Yui said surprised.

"Mhm. And I informed him that I wasn't very happy with what he did to you."

"What did he say to that?"

"Well he laughed. But that's not the point Yui. The point is after I said that he said he really wasn't going to harm me, he just wanted to get you back for disobeying him."

"Well" Yui crossed her arms angrily, "Nice trick. Is there more?"

"Yes. Of course I was furious by that time. I demanded to know what he was getting from Tenkou to work for him. I wanted to know why."

"And?"

"Well first he said some comment about being a demon ruler or something but then he got serious" Miaka knelt in front of her again, "And said he was doing it for the same reason that Nakago joined him all those years ago."

"But Miaka. Nakago joined Tenkou because he was in love with" she stopped and put a hand to her mouth gasping, "No."

"Mhm" Miaka nodded sadly, "He wants me Yui. That's why he's going through all this trouble to separate Taka and me."

"Oh my" Yui's eyes went wide, "He actually told you that?"

"Yes" Miaka stood back up and began pacing again, "And he was quite determined. He said I'll be his no matter what."

"Oh no he won't" Yui stood up, "Miaka you have to tell Taka about this" she insisted.

"I can't Yui" Miaka protested, "He just found out that he lost Tamahome's memories. I can't throw this at him too. I can't. And you have to promise me, you won't say anything."

"But Miaka."

"Promise me Yui."

"All right" Yui nodded finally with a hesitant voice, "But the second that you're in trouble with him, I will tell Taka."

"Deal. Now let's get some sleep. Chichiri thinks he knows where we can find the stones tomorrow."

"Good. I mean that means were almost there" Yui climbed into her bed.

"Almost" Miaka added snuggling under the covers, "Then we can go home and things can go back to normal" she rolled over.

"Yea" Yui nodded also rolling over.

"Someway" Miaka thought to herself, "Somehow I will save you Suzaku. I will save you," she added to herself determined.

(Next Scene)

The next morning the warriors and their priestesses all headed in different directions of Sairou. Chichiri's theory was that the stones were in the direction they represented, so Miaka and the Suzaku seven headed south while the others headed in their directions, all promising to return to Tokaki's house that evening, if nothing was found. Once more Miaka was leading the horse, and Taka was riding behind her. Chichiri along with Chiriko and Hotohori in the front, while Tasuki, Nuriko, and Mitsukake rode in the back with Taka and Miaka. When the sun moved in the sky to its late morning time, Chichiri stopped his horse.

"Chichiri what's the matter?" Hotohori asked as the others stopped their horses as well.

"Do you feel that?" he asked, "Miaka can you feel that?" he called back.

"Feel what Chichiri?" she said.

"It's around this area somewhere you know" Chichiri replied getting off his horse.

Miaka and the others dismounted and walked over.

"I don't feel a damn thing," Tasuki said with his arms crossed.

"Well you're not supposed to feel anything Tasuki you know" Chichiri replied irritated, "Miaka is?"

"I am?"

"That's right" he nodded.

"Now that you mention it, now that I'm over here with you, I do feel something close and very light."

"Light?" Taka said his hands on his hips.

"Is it the stone Miaka?" Nuriko asked.

"It's high. Not too high though" she replied looking up at the trees around them, "Maybe in one of the trees."

"Trees?" Hotohori replied.

"What on earth would it be doing in a tree?" Tasuki added.

"A tree huh?" Chichiri scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Chichiri what do you think?" Chiriko asked.

"Do you have an idea?" Mitsukake replied to him.

"Miaka might be on to something you know. Suzaku is a phoenix right?"

"Yes" Hotohori nodded.

"So where would you find a phoenix?"

"But phoenixes don't exist" Nuriko said.

"I know. But if they did exist, where would they be?"

"Well they're a bird" Taka replied, "So they would be in a tree!" he realized excitedly, "A nest!"

"Precisely Tamahome" Chichiri said with a smile, "Now Miaka" he turned to his left, "Miaka? Miaka!" he called for she had mysteriously disappeared.

"Miaka!" Taka called, "Miaka!"

They all began to call her name.

"Miaka! Miaka!"

"Hey you guys!" her voice came from above, "I'm up here!"

"What?" Taka said looking around him.

"Up here!" she said again.

They all looked up and saw Miaka high in the very tree that they were standing in front of. She was in the tallest branch.

"Miaka what are you doing way up there? Nuriko asked as everyone looked up.

"Get down from there before you get hurt," Taka added quite fearfully.

"I'm all right" she giggled as she started to climb down, "I got tired of waiting for you guys to figure it out."

"Waiting?" Taka raised an eyebrow."

"That's right," she said as she reached the bottom and she jumped down, "That and I felt Suzaku's light."

"Did you find something up there Miaka?" Chichiri asked.

"Mhm" she nodded reaching into her side pocket, "Gentlemen I present to you, The Stone of Suzaku!" she pulled it out.

The gem was red in color just like Suzaku's feathers. It glowed brightly in her hand, and was medium sized in color. But the most special part about it, it was in the shape of Suzaku himself. A beautiful phoenix carved in a gem.

"Wow!" Tasuki breathed in, "That's The Stone of Suzaku?"

"Let me take a look at it Miaka" Chichiri asked.

"Sure" she handed it over.

"There's no doubt about you know" he replied, "This stone is as old as time itself."

"Well now that we found it, we can return" Taka said, "And we can save Suzaku" he scooped Miaka up into his arms, "We did it!"

"Yes we did!" she wrapped her arms around.

"Let's not celebrate until we've actually succeeded" Nuriko smiled.

"He's right" Hotohori said, "We should return to Tokaki's place at once" he got on his horse.

The others mounted again once more as well. Miaka turned to Chichiri.

"Chichiri will you hold onto it?" she asked as Taka got on the horse.

"Of course Miaka" he nodded, "I'll hold onto it till the ceremony" he replied getting onto his horse.

"Thank you" she said as she got onto the horse with Taka and they began to ride back.

(Next Scene)

The Suzaku seven and Miaka were the first to arrive back. Then came Takiko who had also been successful. The Seiryuu seven returned after that, and Yui showed Miaka the blue dragon. Finally Tokaki arrived with the Byakko seven and Suzuna. They all placed their stones onto a large table and examined them.

"So those are the stones?" Iname replied.

"Looks like it" Namame added.

"So what do we do now?" Hatsui asked.

"Yea do we get to go take them to the temple?" Urimiya said.

"Um" Chichiri spoke up, "I think the best time to do this ceremony, will be this evening you know."

"Couldn't agree with you more Chichiri" Iname replied.

"I agree with that too," Miboshi said.

"What do you say Ameturi?" Tokaki asked the monk.

"I agree with them" he replied.

"All right then" Miaka said and the other girls nodded, "Tonight it is."

(Next Scene)

From within the household a dark shadow moved from the direction of the meeting room towards the garden. It flipped open a small shell and spoke.

"The ceremony is taking place tonight Ren?" he said.

"Excellent" Ren's voice came out of the shell, "You know what to do?"

"Yes sir at all costs. Make the ceremony fail."

"Good luck" Ren replied then his voice disappeared.

The shell was snapped shut and the figure placed it back inside his cloak.

"Well Tomo" he thought, "Your little shell came in handy after all."

(Next Scene)

That evening Miaka and the other three girls prepared themselves for the ceremony. As they had before when summoning the beast gods they wore the same fancy clothing. Takako and Suzuna couldn't believe how beautiful they really were. Two servants also brought in four special necklaces with charms attached to them that resembled the beast gods. Yui helped Miaka with hers and vice a versa, while Takako and Suzuna did the same. Once the sun began setting, horses were made ready for the Priestesses that were being led by four of the warriors. Hatsui led Takako's horse. Kokie led Suzuna's. Suboshi led Yui's. And Chiriko led Miaka's. The other warriors had left for the temple previously to prepare, so the four boys walked the horses toward the temple. By the time they reached it, it was dark and the stars had come out. Suboshi helped the girls down from the horse and led the way down the lighted pathway, down the stairs and into the temple where the warriors were waiting. Even Taka now looked like a Suzaku seven warrior, dressed in Tamahome's old clothes. Ameturi, Chichiri, Miboshi, and Iname beckoned the Priestesses toward them, while the remaining four warriors joined the others. The Priestesses were led to their spots near the large statues. The warriors stood around the white circle that surrounded the statues. Chichiri handed Miaka her stone and she placed it into the slot. The statue began to glow bright red. Across from her and beside her, the others did the same. Now the room was illuminated with the colors of the Gods. Red, Blue, Green, and White. Chichiri nodded and Miaka closed her eyes, clasped her hands together as she did at the ceremony to summon Suzaku. Chichiri took his place in the circle and Miaka began.

"The four palaces of the heavens. The four corners of the earth. In the name of sacred law, faith, and virtue... I summon thee Suzaku, guardian of the south. I beseech you to appear in this temple. From the palaces of heaven. For the sake of those who adore you and want to save you, and who await your presence. Come to us! And with your mighty power, destroy all that is evil which threatens us and your world. Help us save you and grant us our wishes. Descend to us now from the heavens above!"

Yui, Takako, and Suzuna all repeated this statement in their own words as Miaka spoke. The statues glowed brightly and they all waited. Waited for a sign. A sign that they had done it right, that they had succeeded. But then a strange thing happened. The statues began to glow less and less, and the small stones were being lifted out of them.

"Miaka, what's going on?" Yui said frightened across from her.

"I don't know" Miaka shook her head.

The stones moved closer to the center of the room, their light glowing brighter.

"Is this supposed to happen?" Taka asked.

"I don't think so you know" Chichiri shook his head.

In the center of the stones Miaka saw a figure in a black cloak and he was smiling manically.

"No!" she shouted, "I haven't come all this way just to lose now!" she dashed forward.

"Miaka!" Taka grabbed for her but she ran past.

Yui, Takako, and Suzuna all ran to the middle where Miaka was headed. They all reached for their stones as their warriors tried to stop them. As they all latched onto the stones a purple life force swirled around them like a whirlpool, so thick that the warriors couldn't even penetrate it.

"Miaka! Takako! Lady Yui! Suzuna!" Taka, Namame, Suboshi, and Tatara yelled as they disappeared along with the stones.

"What happened?" Hotohori looked around him, "Where are they?"

"No" Taka fell to his knees and hit the ground, "NO!"

"Now what do we do?' Chiriko said.

" I don't know. Well one things for certain" Nuriko replied, "This ceremony was a failure."

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: I am so glad that you're enjoying this! Hope you enjoy the rest of the story. Three more chapters left of Book Five!

Next Chapter: Priestess Power

Miaka, Yui, Takako, and Suzuna have found themselves trapped in another dimension all together. In order to escape, they have to find the stones, and the only way to do that is to team up. See how they do it next time!