Chapter Eight: Priestess Power

The wind blew across her cheek as Miaka opened one eye. Lying next to her were the other three girls. She rose slowly and began to shake her best friend.

"Yui. Yui. Wake up Yui."

"Mmm" Yui opened her eyes and looked back behind her, "Miaka? What happened?" she looked around her.

"I don't know" Miaka said, "Help me wake them up, "Takako" she began to nudge the dark haired girl.

"Suzuna wake up!" Yui shook the fair skinned one.

Both girls opened their eyes and rose.

"Where are we?" Suzuna said as she gazed around her.

"What's going on?" Takako added.

"We don't know" Miaka helped her to her feet, while Yui helped Suzuna, "But one things for sure. We're not in the temple anymore."

"No we're not" Yui replied, "Question is where are we?"

The skies above them were purple and pink, but very dark. They were on rocky terrain and ahead of them they could see a cliff. Miaka moved forward a bit as the wind blew at her bangs.

"I recognize this place," she said running toward the cliff.

"Wait! Miaka!" Yui called running behind her along with Takako and Suzuna.

They all stopped and looked below them. Below the cliff were many swirling dark grey clouds. Yui gasped and took a step back. Miaka looked over the cliff with deep concern.

"Well Miaka?" Yui asked.

"This place" Miaka began, "I've seen it before."

"You're right" Takako said, "This place was in my dreams too."

"In your dreams?" Suzuna replied.

"That's right" Miaka nodded.

"Miaka look!" Yui pointed across the way.

Across from them a small city was appearing, and step stones were coming up from the dark clouds. Miaka looked at them and that back at the others.

"I don't know about you" Takako said, "But whatever brought us here, once us to go across."

"I think you're right" Miaka nodded, "I also think that's where the stones are."

"But Miaka, how can we be sure?" Yui asked.

"We can't be Yui" Miaka replied, "We have to trust each other. Stick together. The Beast Gods are counting on us. We can't let them down. Now are you with me or not?"

"I'm with you Miaka" Yui took her hand, "Always."

"Takako? Suzuna?"

"I with you" Takako placed her hand over Yui's and Miaka's.

"Me too" Suzuna placed her hand.

"Okay" Miaka said, "Be careful going across" she jumped to the first stepping-stone.

"Why do I have a feeling we have done this before" Yui grumbled.

"Don't think about it Yui" Miaka called, "Just do it."

Yui nodded and began to follow Miaka, followed by Takako, and lastly Suzuna. They jumped across the ten stepping-stones till they reached the other side. Once they reached in, the stones disappeared.

"I guess that means" Takako replied as surprised as the others, "That the only way back is to go forward" they looked straight ahead into the city.

"I guess so" Suzuna sighed.

"Well then" Miaka took Yui's hand, "Let's not waste any more time. Let's go!"

(Next Scene)

"It's no good you know" Chichiri replied, "I can't feel their life force at all in this area. Not even in this world."

"Well keep trying Chichiri" Hotohori urged, "I think Tamahome is going to lose it" he looked back at Taka who was being calmed down by Mitsukake and Nuriko.

"Not to mention the other guys too," Tasuki added pointing to Suboshi, Tatara, and Namame.

"It doesn't make any sense!" Suboshi was shouting, "How could they disappear like that?"

"I don't know brother" Amiboshi replied, "But calm down."

"Chichiri" Nakago looked at him, "You mentioned that they are not even in this world?"

"That's right" Chichiri nodded, "They are not here anymore."

"Well that doesn't make any sense. Tomo" he turned to his companion.

"Yes Nakago?" Tomo walked over.

"Tell me. Was there anyone else who possesses the same ability as you?"

"I don't think so."

"Anything close?"

"Well now that you mention it. There was someone a long time ago."

"Who is he? Chichiri asked as the rest of the warriors crowded around to hear.

"He was an old friend. A boy I grew up with. He had exceptional skills in fact. But he doesn't use his magic the same way. I create illusions, where as he, he can actually send someone to another world, place even."

"No one can do that" Nakago shook his head, "Not anyone I know."

"And if that's the case" Taka replied, "How do we get them back?"

"Oh you don't get them back. That's just it."

"What?" Namame said angrily.

"The person who is a victim to this power has to find a way themselves. It's a game you see; to this boy I used to know. He makes the rules and sets the game. The players are the victims."

"Meaning Lady Yui and the other Priestesses" Nakago finished.

"That's basically it. They can't get any outside help."

"So in another words" Chichiri said, "They're on their own. They have to defeat the game in order to come back."

"Right" Tomo nodded.

Taka sank to the floor.

"Miaka" he thought, "This may be the first time in my life, I feel utterly useless to you."

(Next Scene)

The four girls walked into the city and looked around them. The streets were absolutely deserted with road signs that seemed to lead to nowhere.

"How do we know which way to go?" Yui replied.

"Good question" Miaka said, "Maybe, in order to find the stones once more we need to go in our cardinal direction."

"But that means we have to split up again" Yui replied, "That's not working together Miaka."

"I know you're right. So what should we do? What do you guys think?" she looked at the other two girls.

They shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders.

"Well we got to come up with some sort of a plan" Yui said.

"What if we don't totally split up," Miaka suggested.

"What do you mean?" Yui asked.

"I mean what if we go in pairs. I will go with Takako since she is the north and you go with Suzuna since she is the west."

"Well that makes sense" Takako replied, "East and west. North and south. That's a good idea."

"I like that idea more then all of us splitting up separately" Suzuna said.

"Okay then. Takako and I'll go this way" she pointed to the left, "And Yui. You and Suzuna go that way" she pointed right.

"Okay" Yui nodded as well as Suzuna.

"We'll meet in the middle" Takako replied.

"All right" Suzuna agreed.

"Let's go" Miaka said taking Takako's hand.

They walked to the left while Yui took Suzuna's hand gently and they walked to the right.

(Next Scene)

Yui and Suzuna walked side-by-side gazing at the buildings.

"I don't even know where to start looking do you?" Suzuna asked the blonde next to her.

"No. I guess we do the same thing we do when we found them the first time. We'll get a feeling."

"Yea. Is it me or does this road look a lot like a game board? See the words appearing on this block we're standing on?"

Yui looked down and gasped.

"You're right" she replied, "It is a game board. We have been so busy looking at the buildings that we didn't even notice this. Let's see what is says."

They both squatted down and read the square they were on.

"Move three spaces forward. The shadow man give you passage."

"Three spaces?" Suzuna said.

"Should we trust it?"

"In real life game boards don't lie. So maybe we should."

"I guess," Yui stood back up, "But I feel really weird about this."

"Let's just move three spaces and find out what happens."

"Good idea" she once again took Suzuna's hand, "Ready?"

"Yes" she replied.

"One" they said together as they moved forward three blocks, "Two. Three" then they looked down.

"What's this one say?" Suzuna asked as Yui looked down once more as the words once again magically appeared.

" Huh? Now it says move nine spaces forward."

"Nine spaces?"

"But. It also says move carefully, on one stone if two are on it will be thrown. If two are on?" she looked at Suzuna bewildered.

"Two people maybe."

"How are we going to know which block it is?"

"Well. They are three green blocks and there are two red ones, and one blue one."

"Okay. Three green. Two Red. And one blue. What do they have in common and what do they have different?"

"Well they're all beast god colors right?"

"Right. Wait there is one blue one."

"Okay. So I'm thinking that that is the one we must not step on together."

"Why's that?"

"Because blue is my color. But the other two colors are Miaka and Takako's."

"I think you're right" Suzuna's blue eyes flashed with excitement, "And my color is not even there."

"You want to try it?"

"Yes" Suzuna nodded, "We avoid stepping on the blue block together. But together we step on the other green and red blocks."

"Here goes nothing" Yui said, "Give me your hand."

They moved forward on the first red and green block together. Then they moved forward on the next red block. The blue block was next so Yui let go of Suzuna's hand and jumped onto it.

"Well now what do we do?" Suzuna replied worried, "You going to have to step on the green block without me."

"Um. It's okay Suzuna" Yui said "I will jump to land on the green block, but I won't touch it. You have to jump onto the blue block as soon as I jump and then reach for my hand and I will pull you. Then we will both land on the green block together."

"Okay" she nodded with a gulp, "Do you think that will work?"

"It's all we got. Remember what Miaka said back there. We have to trust each other."

"Right" Suzuna nodded again, "Okay. I'm ready."

Yui leapt from the block and Suzuna as fast as she could leapt to the blue block, leapt from it and reached for Yui who was almost touching the green block. Yui grabbed her hand fast and they both landed on the green block trying to balance a little, but making it just the same.

"I can't believe that worked" Yui replied with a sigh of relief.

"Yea another half an inch and we wouldn't have made it."

"Come on let's finish this blocks and then move on" Yui took her hand once more.

They hopped onto the next red and the last green. Once there the blocks all faded and so did the board. Yui and Suzuna looked back bewildered.

"Did we win?" Suzuna said.

"I don't think so" Yui shook her head, "Come on let's hurry to the center so we can find Miaka and Takako."

(Next Scene)

Meanwhile Takako and Miaka were having their own troubles. They had successfully gotten past the game board part and now found themselves in a forest that surrounded the city, covering the buildings with vines.

"What do you think this is all about anyway?" Takako said.

"You got me. It's like it's a game. Wait a second" Miaka stopped, "That's it."

"What's it?"

"It's a game. It's a game and we're players. We have to reach the center in order to win the game."

"Players. The game board I understand but what about this part Miaka?"

"Good question. It kind of a looks like a video game segment."

"A video game?"

"Yea like the kind my older brother likes to play."

"But that means, that there might be monsters in here."

"Maybe but I don't know. This looks more like an obstacle to me."

"Obstacle?" Takako repeated.

"Mhm. We're walking in circles I think."

"Circle? Well that's just great. We'll never get to the center at that rate."

"We can do it. Together we can do anything. Right now we don't have our warriors Takako. And they are counting on us."

"Yea you're right. Okay Miaka. Let's move on."

Miaka and Takako walked to the right and found that they were no longer in the tree-infested city. Instead they were in a deserted parking lot.

"Now where are we?" Takako said.

"Good question. I have no idea."

Miaka gazed around her and spotted a blast of life force coming her way. She ran and through herself around Takako pulling her out of the way and to the ground.

"Look out!"

"Welcome to level two Priestess. I commend you for passing level one" the voice said as Miaka and Takako stood up, "However that was far easier then the next three levels."

"Who are you?" Miaka asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"I do not reveal myself. All I will say is that if you win you may leave and take your precious stones with you."

"And if we lose" Takako asked.

The voice chuckled.

"Just hope you don't lose. I will back in level three. Enjoy the game priestesses."

"Hey come back here!" Miaka shouted.

"He's gone. Now what do we do?"

"It really is a game. But if we want the stones and get out of here, we have to win."

Before them suddenly a new game board appeared. This one led them out of the parking lot and had many colored blocks this time.

"I guess that's the way we go" Takako said.

"Yes" Miaka nodded, "I hope Yui and Suzuna are doing well."

(Next Scene)

At that moment Yui and Suzuna had just escaped another obstacle in level two. It was two headed turtle that was in a very foul temper. Yui and Suzuna ducked behind a tree and panted.

"I think we lost it" Yui replied catching her breath.

"I think so too" Suzuna added, "Boy that thing was a monster."

"Yea just like that bird that chased us the first time."

"Yui look" Suzuna pointed, "An entrance" she replied as she saw the golden gate.

"Let's see where it goes. And then maybe we can get the hell out of this nightmare" Yui suggested running toward it.

Suzuna followed her and jumped through. They landed on the other side and found themselves on a platform.

"Now where are?" Yui looked around her.

"Here's a sign" Suzuna showed her the sign with big red letters, "Welcome to level three!"

"Level three? That guy said there were four levels."

"So we have to go through this one and one more."

"Let's get through this one first" Yui replied, "Then one step closer to the center.

(Next Scene)

From atop his perch, the cloaked stranger watched his giant game board. He sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

"I didn't think that she'd be here," he said to himself, "Oh well. No regrets" he pulled out a blue ribbon and caressed it with his finger.

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Okay two more to go for this chapter!

Next Chapter: Win or Lose?

Will the four girls defeat the game and retrieve the stones? Find out next time!