Chapter 5

Trip to the temple: arrival

The alarm went off, awakening the two teens from their slumber, Kirin grabbed his Jacket and placed it on him, Katrina had to get all her clothes on again, angering her.

"Maybe I'll keep my pants on as well."

"Alright Katrina, were here. Finally, I'll get to learn of my Cerinian side of the Family."

The temple was almost coated in fire, except the walk way, all around it, torches of different kinds, bowls of fire, statues of fire, everything was fire, Kirin thought the Arwing might not be able to take this much heat, but remembered that Lazlo specifically made this one himself, improving any flaws that was like the last version of the Arwing, the radiator could withstand heat of 1000 degrees, Kirin had no problem on landing, it was how he was going to get in was the problem.

The Cockpit opened, Kirin hopped out ofthe Arwing andclosed the window.

"Katrina, I want you to stay here, okay?"

"Okay, be sure to stay alive Kirin."

"I plan to."

Kirin walked away from the Arwing, making his way towards the entrance of the temple, he started to sweat like crazy.

"Jeez, how hot is it anyway?"

Kirin walked up the stairs, trying to bare the heat, it was so hot that the metal on his bracelet slid off of him and turned into liquid, splashing the ground.

"Damn, that cost me 175$, mom told me I should have kept the receipt."

Kirin finally made it to the top, but his jaw dropped to the horror he had confronted: MORE STAIRS!

"WHAT THE HELL? IS KIRIN TORMENTING ME OR SOMETHING?"

Kirin sighed, he started to walk up the what seemed to be endless stairs, he took of his jacket and threw to the ground, he didn't care if it was his prized piece of clothing, he just had to get to the top, he had to speak with Kirin.

"I can't wait, I'm going to know everything about my Cerinian side…but what about grandpa, what did he do to dad to "Hurt him enough"? Ugh, I just don't understand…he told me not to tell dad, I don't know what he didn't want me to tell him…it must be about that poisoning! But if I don't tell dad, he won't get to learn about his family either, dammit, this is all so complicating!"

Kirin then stopped and looked back the Arwing, looking at Katrina while she read a magazine "How to please your Vulpine."

"And what about my relation with Katrina, will this affect her too? After nine years I thought I was going to be alone, but then she returned, and I still remember those nine year."

Nine years ago

Kirin sat on the couch, watching his parents unpack cardboard cases, containing their possessions.

"See Krystal, this house is perfect, just for us to settle down."

Krystal looked at her son.

"Of course we also have ourKirin back."

Kirin just smiled, he was happy to be back with his parents, then a knocking came from the door. Fox opened the door, anda Red Wolf, a Brown Vixen and a young brown Vixen stood there.

"Welcome to the neighborhood, may we come in?"

"Sure, were just unpacking."

"Well let me give you a hand with that."

As the red wolf helped with unpacking, the young Vixen sat down beside Kirin, looking at him, then Kirin looked at her and smiled.

"Hi, my name is Kirin."

"I'm Katrina."

Kirin started to sniff, he smelt something odd, something he never smelt before.

"What's that smell?"

"Oh, that must be mommy's perfume."

"Perfume? Is that some sort of food?"

"Are you joking? It makes you smell better."

Kirin was never confused like this, Katrina just confused him with her words, he spent five years on Sauria, he had enough of a hard time understanding anything on Corneria.

"You look pretty."

Katrina blushed.

"Thank you, you look nice too."

Kirin smiled and hugged Katrina, she just looked amazed then hugged him back, Krystal looked at the two and Awed, then everyone else looked towards the two children and Awed with her. Finally everything was unpacked.

"Well, I guess we finished unpacking, you came back from a trip or something?"

"You could put it that way."

The red wolf just laughed and padded Fox on the back, almost knocking Fox to the ground.

"You have got to come over to our house for dinner tonight."

Krystal smiled along with Fox, Kirin smiled as well, possibly getting to learn more about Katrina.

"Sounds great, Seven sound good?"

"Good guess at the Time, we'll see you at seven. Come on Katrina, we have to go."

"Well I'll see you later Kirin."

"Alright…See you Katrina."

Present

"I remembered that day, the first day I met Katrina, I looked at her emerald green eyes, I knew I was in love, but I never knew that I would actually feel it. Then fate happened."

Nine years ago

Katrina's family was packing up, Kirin ran with a smile on his face towards Katrina, his Soul Edge sheathed on his back.

"Hey Katrina…what's going on."

Katrina looked sad, holding her doll in her paws.

"Katrina, what's wrong?"

"Kirin…were moving away."

And at that minute, Kirin froze, everything he wanted to tell Katrina, erased from his mind.

"What? Why?"

"Daddy has to go to a business meeting, and so we have to move closer to the other side of the planet to actually get to the meeting."

"Ugh…I don't want you to leave."

"I don't want to leave either, but we have to."

Katrina's father picked her up and sat her on his shoulder, stepping into the moving Truck, leaving Kirin there standing.

"Wait, Katrina!"

But it was too late, she had disappeared from sight as the truck drove away, Kirin lowered his head, tears coming from his eyes.

"I love you."

It started to rain, drops of water bouncing on Kirin's head, he dragged his Soul Edge across the street, sadness filled his heart, he didn't even get to say good-bye.

Present

"If Katrina was dead, I'd never walk again, never see the light, I would die because she would be gone, I've seen to many die by my paw, and to many dying by others because of me, I want it to end. DAMMIT ALL, I WANT IT TO END!"

Kirin made it to the end of the stairs, only to be confronted by one more set of stairs, Kirin fell to his knees with anger.

"DAMN YOU KIRIN! DAMN YOU!"

Kirin ran up the stairs, he wasn't going to walk or jog, he wanted to find at least a cool spot away from the fire, he want to get inside the temple as quick as possible.

"I am going to learn of my past after these stairs, finally. I am seriously getting pissed off just walking up all these god forsaken stairs, what is he, some sort of exercise crazed fanatic?"

There is was, the entrance, flowing above it was lava, covering the entrence of the door in its heat, now Kirin was further pissed off.

"NOW HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSE TO GET PAST THIS?…hold on, what's this?"

Kirin looked down, a sign was carved into the concrete, it said: With one a wicked heart shall not pass onward, but one with the strength to wield The blade of the eye shall gain permission, but must have the pure of heart to enter my shrine.

Kirin was able to wield the Soul Edge, but did he have the pure of heart? Kirin was too afraid to think, but he had to get in, he swallowed and started to walk forward, he was getting closer to the lava, then he stopped.

"Alright, I knew myself well."

Kirin walked into the lava, but if felt cold, not burning, he stuck his tongue out, it tasted like water, but melted the metal objects, except the Soul Edge, that Kirin had bought.

"Great, 675$ worth of metal bracelets melted."

He stepped into the Shrine, a Vulpine was chained to a wall where it was pouring ashes out of small holes, becoming fire again, and incinerating the temple again, keeping its fires alive.

"Is that who I think it is?"

Kirin started to step forward to the Vulpine, a sword stuck in his chest, of course a god could break the chains but the sword pinned him to the wall. Kirin took a step closer, cracking a small bone he stepped on.

"Who disturbs the god of fire, Kirin?

The Vulpine lifted his head looking at Kirin, he looked at the child with amazement, no one had ever entered his temple, even with the soul edge because they had the heart of wickedness, but Kirin didn't.

"I do not believe my eyes, another Soul Edge wielder has entered my shrine!"

"Of course, Star was the first Soul Edge wielder to enter this place."

"Child, what is it that you want to know?"

"I want to know about my Cerinian side of my family."

"Let me see the Soul Edge first."

Kirin pulled out the Soul Edge, showing it to Kirin.

"Nope, I won't answer your question."

"Oh right, the complete form of Soul Edge."

Kirin looked below the god, and there it was, the pool of his blood, he threw the bone into the blood, it started to glow with a crystal color, then he dipped his Soul Edge into the mighty fountain of crystal blood. His Soul Edge started to glow, the whole blade dunked itself into the blood, leaving the handle out. Kirin slowly grabbed the Soul Edge and pulled it slowly out of the crystal blood of Kirin. It looked horrific, the blade had many eyes, burnt flesh dangling and dripping, and it's silver turned into sharp bone.

"Ugh…what the hell happened to it?"

"It has become completed."

"Alright now answer my question."

"Hold on, Star didn't tell about the three tests, did she?"

"Tests?"

"Yes, the test of transformation, the test of strength, and the test of heart. You already completed the first test."

"Then tell me of the second test."

"The test of strength, you must be able to pull this sword from my chest."

"But you were sealed away, if I remove it, then you'll be free."

"Not exactly, after a few thousand years, the effect corrupted my entire temple, so now I cannot leave the insides of my shrine, I figure this out when star freed me."

Kirin grabbed the hilt of the sword, it jammed into the wall, Kirin was unable to pull out the sword.

"So sorry child, but it seems that you haven't the strength like Star."

Kirin sat and thought for a while, he was frustrated.

"No…I've come to far to walk away, I have to learn more about my past, I must! How did Star pull that sword out anyway?"

Kirin looked down at the crystal blood, then it hit him.

"I have to use Kirin's blood to loosen the sword!"

Kirin cupped a handful of blood and splashed it on the sword, splashing it twice, then he placed his paw on the hilt and pulled as hard as he could, it was coming loose, then it was out, Kirin fell into his blood and crawled onto the concrete.

"You figured out how to pull it out I see."

"I guess I'm smarter then I look."

"We'll let the final test decide that, succeed, and I shall tell you everything you want to know, fail, and I'll send you down to the bottom where your ship landed, sealing you away from my Shrine."