Chapter 14: Darkness and Light
2 weeks later
" His condition is not improving," Nari said, " I have given him some herbs that will keep the fever down.
Karasuma walked in and sat down next to him. Sakaki just slept and Karasuma stroked his head.
" Haruto," she whispered, " I'm right here…what has caused you to fall so ill?"
Nari and Rinako looked at Karasuma and sighed
" His spirit is so weak that even the other three can not call to him," Nari said
" You mean Taiyou is dying?" Rinako asked
" I don't know my lady," Nari said, " We can pray that's all I know what to do."
Nari bowed and Rinako walked into Sakaki's room and looked at her pale little boy.
" Perhaps," Karasuma whispered, " I can bring him back to the time he was raised in."
" We would be without an emperor for awhile," Rinako said
" He will be fine and you have Kyoushu to help protect the kingdom," Karasuma said
" Maybe," she said
Dream
Sakaki stood in the middle of a darken room and looked around.
" I guess we should be grateful that you're not a witch," a voice said
Sakaki turned around and saw himself in normal clothing. Though he wore black and gave off an older appearance, it was still him.
" I bet your very lazy, can't do a lick of work," his self said
" That's not true!" he shouted
" Yeah, right. You an emperor, ha, don't make me laugh. Your from the 21st century. I guess you've had this idea for a long time," his self said, " You dishonor the Sakaki name."
His self spitted at him and Sakaki narrowed his eyes at himself.
" Your just an image of what I would have become come in that time," Sakaki growled
His self laughed and walked over to him and pulled the blade from it's sheath. He swung it around and looked at Sakaki.
" A dull blade, child's play," his self said
Sakaki grabbed the blade and sheathed it and then looked at himself.
" Your just afraid to get a little dirty, you should have seen your face after you killed those men," his self said
" Shut up!" Sakaki shouted
" uh oh, someone's getting angry," his self taunted, " I guess someone didn't get their way in battle."
" Shut up or I'll kill you!" Sakaki shouted swing his blade at himself
His self melted away and reappeared and tapped his shoulder. Sakaki turned around and his self punched him.
" Damn it," Sakaki said, " I can't fight myself."
" Why because you are a coward? Or perhaps afraid to actually understand that you may have lost the fight before it has happened?" his self inquired
Sakaki narrowed his eyes and his self smiled.
" Yes, get angry and turn your power of light to a darkness," his self said
" You should really learn to control your shooting Sakaki," Karasuma's voice echoed, " Amon's not going to be happy."
" Sakaki your lucky you had Amon to save you, if you didn't you'd be a total loss," Doujima's voice echoed, " Learn to use that head of yours."
" Sakaki do you really think your going to make it with ignoring orders?" Amon's voice echoed
" Stop it!" Stop it!" he shouted
" When will he ever learn, he's such gung-ho hunter?" Doujima's voice echoed
" STOP IT!" Sakaki shouted
Light surrounded his body and he looked at his self.
" I am an Emperor not a hunter, And I won't believe your lies," Sakaki stated, " Stay out of my head."
End
Karasuma and Rinako looked at Sakaki, his body glowed a powerful light. They breathed deep as they felt a power that could not be with stand by any.
" Has he truly come to terms with his ability?" Rinako wondered
" Sakaki," Karasuma whispered
Dream
" What power!" his self burst out
" My craft is not for the weak, nor is it for your entrainment," Sakaki said
He closed his eyes and lifted a hand and opened his eyes and his self was engulfed into a beam of light and everything ceased.
End
Sakaki gasped and opened his eyes and looked around. He sat up and his hair fell over his shoulders. Karasuma wrapped her arms around him and he slightly gasped.
" Shh, it's alright," she whispered, " I am here for you."
He relaxed and then turned and looked at her.
" You came back?" he whispered
" I never left Highness," Karasuma said
Sakaki leaned back into her gentle embraced and Sakaki closed his eyes.
" I am not evil," he whispered, " I am Ranpu."
" Yes, you are Ranpu," Karasuma said
Karasuma looked at Sakaki and saw a burn on his back, under his left shoulder blade. She touched it and he winced at it.
" It's alright," she said
Later, Sakaki was brought something light to eat. Karasuma looked at him and stroked his head.
" How long have I been asleep?" he asked
" Two weeks, your wounds are all healed," Karasuma said
" I must have just been overwhelmed," Sakaki said
He sighed and looked at Karasuma, then stroked her cheek.
" I'm sorry," he whispered, " I have been pushing myself away from the one thing that keeps me here on the ground."
" I know you are worried about Izo creating an uprising. The people will deny him and over throw him, because he's not the true Ranpu," Karasuma said
Sakaki finished eating and then sighed, Nari came and checked him.
" Taiyou-sama, your recovery is strong," Nari said, " You will be well enough to get out of bed."
" Thank you Nari," he said
She bowed and left and Sakaki laid back and closed his eyes.
" I think I over came the darkness within myself and that is what kept me from using the one thing that made be different then any normal person," Sakaki said
" Perhaps, but everyone one has darkness," she said
She kissed him and stroked his head as he fell asleep.
" Darkness and light, their both so powerful, one can chose darkness just as Izo had or they can chose light and fend of the darkness," she thought
The following week, there were changes in laws that allowed the people to understand that there was still hope. Sakaki had selected several new advisers, because several of them sided with complete control and sided with Izo's way of thinking.
" Majesty what do we do with those who sided against you?" an adviser asked
" They deserve to see the fall of corruption, so it's only fair that they rot," Sakaki replied, " Put them in the dungeon and their fates will be decided later."
Sakaki sent out some guards to clean out those who opposed him and reconstructed a lot of the homes and public places. Conditions began to get better day by day.
" Izo hasn't shown his face, for two months, this is strange for a traitor," Kyoushu said
" Then I believe, we will wait too," Sakaki said
Kyoushu looked at Sakaki and nodded.
" I will create an army of hundreds," Sakaki said
" That would be foolish, if it were any other day, but I see you have become suspicious of an attack," Kyoushu said
Sakaki nodded and leaned forward on the railing and let the night air blow through his hair.
" He's out there and I have to finish him off, the light will," Sakaki thought
Karasuma looked out on the veranda and breathed deep.
" I can feel something coming," she thought, " It's on the horizon…another attack perhaps."
Darkness resided in a little village outside the capital. Izo was planning to create a civil war against Sakaki and he knew that Sakaki was not prepared for an attack. He was wrong, Sakaki had been prepared the moment he left the imperial army.
" We will take the empire. He will not be prepared for an attack, so let us go forth and take the life of Ranpu and end his reign," Izo said
His rebel army took up arms and lined up for the attack on the emperor. This would be a battle to determine the fate of all who fought for both sides, darkness and light clashing together.