I actually remotely like this chapter, so yeah. Um. comments.. any
comments. uh. I know! Please review if you are reading!
Chapter 12 : Hidden Secrets
"Seems we're going to have to get Miaka the hard way!" Tasuki yelled. He unfurled his fan, blocking Suboshi's attack. As soon as he did so...
"REKKA SHINEN!!!!!!"
Suboshi was greatly out-numbered, but his stubbornness and pride kept him fighting... as usual.
Akue simply slipped behind a tree. She knew her role wouldn't be over until Nakago himself saw her.
"Kai ha!!" Chichiri shouted, pointing his staff as Suboshi. A wave of bright light smashed into the young boy, knocking him backwards ten feet.
Suboshi struggled to get back up.
Tasuki saw his opening. "REKKA...SHINEN!!!"
A small spark spurted from his fan.
"What the..." Tasuki looked at his weapon as if it were broken.
The scenery in front of Suboshi rippled, and Nakago himself appeared. Nuriko was more than ready to give him a good blow.
"Don't bother attacking, warriors of Suzaku." Nakago warned calmly.
Tasuki, the hothead that he is, ran for Nakago, fists ready.
Right before reaching him, a blue barrier flashed. Tasuki hit it, and was kicked back like a bullet, slamming hard into the tree Akue was behind.
She winced.
"Nakago, give us Miaka!" Chichiri ordered. He was now much older than Nakago, but that didn't matter. He was the strongest of the Suzaku seven, but most of the time he could barely make a dent.
Nakago smiled slightly at the stupidity of the men before him. "You heard my deal, did you not?"
Nuriko furrowed his eyebrows. Now he wished Akue hadn't come along.
"I'm right here!" Akue jumped out, in plain view. She knew Nakago wouldn't keep his word, but she's stubborn, remember?
Nakago smirked. It was the closest thing to a smile that ever played across his lips. "Ambassador, I see you came willingly as well?"
Nakago turned to the Chichiri and Nuriko. 'Spirit' flashed brightly on his forehead. With one wave of his hand, the two flew across the garden, not stopping until hitting into something. He looked back at Tasuki, who was now standing, defensive position. Nakago didn't even move his hand. Tasuki hit against the tree again. The force of Tasuki and the air blown with him made the tree de-root itself and tumble backwards. Akue put her hands over her head, hoping one of the limbs wouldn't hit her.
Akue looked around dreadfully. "Yep." she thought. "I'm an idiot..."
"And now to slow our enemies." Nakago pointed to Akue. Her arms invisibly bound in front at her at her wrists. This was it...
A huge tree came hurtling at the Seiryu warrior. He stopped his dealing with Akue to block it.
"AKUE! GET OUT OF HERE!" Nuriko shouted.
Akue nodded, running back to the wall. She had to find Chichiri's cloak.
"You should have stayed dead the first time, Nuriko of the Suzaku Seven." Nakago's sign flashed its bright blue again. Nuriko swung back into another tree. A large limb bended like putty, twisting around his neck. The force holding him up stopped. Two hard blows to the back of the head was making Nuriko very woozy... and now he used what strength he had to grab onto the branch, trying to keep avoid injury from hanging himself.
Tasuki spit out a small amount of blood as he stood up, somewhat of a distance away from Nakago. He ran to him, but again, someone had other plans.
A meteor bell zoomed in front of him, cutting so close the front of Tasuki's beige overcoat and shirt was ripped.
"We're not finished!" Suboshi shouted.
Tasuki whipped out his fan. "Rekka Shinen!"
It still didn't work. Nakago's spell had once again taken hold.
"((edited))" Tasuki grumbled. He still held onto it as a shield from Suboshi's constant attacks, but other than that, it was useless. He was a lot faster now... as soon as Tasuki avoided one spinning ball, another came at him from a totally different direction.
Akue spotted the cloak with some difficulty in the dark. She quickly through it over herself, trying to do as Chichiri had instructed. It was harder than she thought... she breathed heavily from her run and from adrenaline... She hoped the others were all right. She could barely see Nuriko... and he was dangling helplessly from a tree.
Several bushes and plants dismounted them selves, flying upwards and over the grounds. Chichiri had hidden, making it more fun for Nakago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miaka ran out the door. She didn't get far before two arms straddled her back.
"Mayo!!!" She cried. "Let me go!!!" Miaka had heard the fight flooding into the window from Mayo's bedroom.
"I don't think so, Miaka YUUKI." Mayo laughed, refusing to use Taka's last name on anyone but herself.
"NO!" Miaka cried, kicking. A blow to Mayo's shin forced the girl to release her. Miaka darted down the hall, Mayo quickly following. Miaka slowed down to turn the corner. Mayo caught her wrists.
Miaka spun around, her hand striking hard against the opposite priestess's face.
Mayo looked at Miaka with increased rage. She gripped Miaka's wrist as tight as she could, slowly twisting it. Miaka cried out in pain.
"Think it's funny, huh Miaka!" Mayo cried too, still twisting. "The only thing I find funny is your pain!!" Mayo let go and kicked Miaka hard in the stomach, causing her to fall to the ground. "I find it hilarious!!" She bent down and grabbed Miaka's hair, pulling her head up. "Taka can't have a wife if she's DEAD!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There it was. Nakago sensed it.
An oval shaped glowing mass of blue shot towards two adjacent bushes. The magician leapt back, receiving a blow to his knee, a "#" shaped symbol glowing brightly.
"Kai ha!!" Chichiri shouted, sending a bolt at Nakago. Nakago skidded back some, but ultimately directed the blast behind him.
Nakago disappeared. Chichiri, armed with his staff, was hit in the back by a life force blast.
Suboshi spun a ryuseisui bell on his finger, releasing it from the long rope. He swung it at Tasuki.
Tasuki quickly ducked, avoiding it.
"Ha!" he mocked. "You'll have to do better than that!"
Suboshi smiled.
Tasuki was confused, until it hit him. I mean, literally HIT him.
The whizzing meteor bell whistled past Tasuki, slashing the edge of his stomach.
Tasuki leaned over, his hand instinctively overlapping the wound.
But the bell wasn't done. It turned a circle, and headed back for him. It wouldn't be done until the bandit was scattered over the grass.
Tasuki leapt. He didn't use his speed often, but now seemed to be a good time.
But the Meteor bell was fast too. Tasuki zipped across the field, so did it. It hung on Tasuki's every move. Tasuki could barely stay half a step ahead of it, especially with his new injury.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Smash!*
Miaka managed to land a punch to Mayo's cheek. It wasn't very hard, but enough to get a head start. Miaka had barely any idea where in the palace she was, she just ran to stay away from Mayo and reach a door.
*thwack!*
Mayo's hard shoe hit the back of Miaka's head. Miaka stumbled, but pure passion kept her running. She saw a second shoe fly by her. She turned another corner, hitting her nose on something hard.
Luckily, Miaka dove between the guards' legs, running harder and looking for any exit. She was about ready to jump out of a window. She was now pursued by three people, her legs aching and her head pounding. She could feel herself move slower... but the people chasing her seemed farther and farther and farther off.
She heard the smacking of her feet against the hard floor, keeping almost in rhythm with the music of the flute. It was distant, but she heard it. Someone was using it on the guards... and Mayo. Was it Amiboshi? No... it couldn't be...
Miaka's eyes grew tired as she ran through the level-ground window, covering her head and landing hard onto the dirt, shards of glass flying around her like snowflakes. She looked up. She made it. That was Chichiri in the distance...
She forced herself on her elbows, crawling closer and closer to her lifeline.
She didn't get very far when her eyes shut, darkness overcoming her.
Akue saw Miaka's breaking through of the window. This definitely wasn't going the way she thought it would.
She swore she saw Nakago look straight at her. She cupped her hands over her mouth, trying to hold her breath.
Nakago opened his hand, another blast forming from his palm. This one dismantled Chichiri's barrier completely, breaking off Chichiri's mask.
'We should have thought this out better, no da...' Chichiri laughed in his head.
Nakago turned at the sound of running coming towards him. The bandit was STILL alive? The image of Tasuki sped up, running straight into Nakago, not doing any damage what so ever. But, it was intentional.
The Meteor bell came right after him. It struck Nakago in the chest, only making a small hole in his clothing before Nakago caught it with his hand, throwing it across the grounds.
Nuriko's eyes were closed, and he had only one hand on the tree limb.
Nakago's symbol glowed more brilliantly than ever before. A large blue wall rose up from the ground in front of Tasuki and Chichiri. It fell like a huge tsunami, smashing over the entire bodies of the two men. They skidded across the ground so hard, there were trails in the mud of their travel. Chichiri's staff had blown out of his hand, and landed a few meters from where he now lay. Tasuki was on his stomach, barely conscious from Nakago's pounding and the still bleeding gash in his side. He seemed to grow paler with every minute.
Nakago put his hand and elbow back. "Now you will be put out of your misery. It is YOUR turn to die."
A large orb the size of Nakago's head began forming in his right hand.
Weak and bewildered, the Suzaku Seven could only watch. Chichiri bowed his head and closed his eyes, ready to take the blow on with dignity.
Tasuki could barely keep his eyes open.
Finally, Nakago found the chi level of his blast to be high enough, and he moved his hand forward to release it.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The sound of Akue's breaths... the movement of Nakago's death warrant.
Akue shook her head, trying to smile.
"I'm sorry, elders..." She whispered, putting her head back up.
"I can't keep my promise."
Akue threw the purple cloak off of her, running the now shorter distance to the ending battle. Her strides seemed to go equally as slow as the scene seemed to pass before her. Pushing her self faster, her hands moved their way up to the band on her forehead. Reaching behind her hair as she ran, she, with difficulty, unsnapped something, pulling the band away from her. She breathed in large amounts of air, trying to keep herself moving.
She made it. She stood in front of the magician and the bandit, the blue mass moving towards her. It seemed to move so much faster from here.
Her eyes shot wide open. It was full speed now. It seemed Akue was going to take the blow...
And it happened.
A green symbol forged its way onto Akue's forehead. Akue moved her hands in front of her, the mark glowing enough to light the castle. Green energy shot from her hands, meeting with Nakago's blast. The blue was engulfed as the gleaming light swallowed it, continuing on to reach Nakago himself.
Nakago's eyes widened in disbelief. How... how could...
HE was the one shot back. The energy surrounded Akue, Tasuki, and Chichiri like a bowl. The branch holding Nuriko snapped apart. Miaka came flying from the ground she laid on to the group of now five. Chichiri's staff came flying too.
Akue, who looked barely the same, turned quickly to Chichiri, the green light almost blinding.
"CHICHIRI!!!" she screamed. "GET US OUT OF HERE!!!!"
Chapter 12 : Hidden Secrets
"Seems we're going to have to get Miaka the hard way!" Tasuki yelled. He unfurled his fan, blocking Suboshi's attack. As soon as he did so...
"REKKA SHINEN!!!!!!"
Suboshi was greatly out-numbered, but his stubbornness and pride kept him fighting... as usual.
Akue simply slipped behind a tree. She knew her role wouldn't be over until Nakago himself saw her.
"Kai ha!!" Chichiri shouted, pointing his staff as Suboshi. A wave of bright light smashed into the young boy, knocking him backwards ten feet.
Suboshi struggled to get back up.
Tasuki saw his opening. "REKKA...SHINEN!!!"
A small spark spurted from his fan.
"What the..." Tasuki looked at his weapon as if it were broken.
The scenery in front of Suboshi rippled, and Nakago himself appeared. Nuriko was more than ready to give him a good blow.
"Don't bother attacking, warriors of Suzaku." Nakago warned calmly.
Tasuki, the hothead that he is, ran for Nakago, fists ready.
Right before reaching him, a blue barrier flashed. Tasuki hit it, and was kicked back like a bullet, slamming hard into the tree Akue was behind.
She winced.
"Nakago, give us Miaka!" Chichiri ordered. He was now much older than Nakago, but that didn't matter. He was the strongest of the Suzaku seven, but most of the time he could barely make a dent.
Nakago smiled slightly at the stupidity of the men before him. "You heard my deal, did you not?"
Nuriko furrowed his eyebrows. Now he wished Akue hadn't come along.
"I'm right here!" Akue jumped out, in plain view. She knew Nakago wouldn't keep his word, but she's stubborn, remember?
Nakago smirked. It was the closest thing to a smile that ever played across his lips. "Ambassador, I see you came willingly as well?"
Nakago turned to the Chichiri and Nuriko. 'Spirit' flashed brightly on his forehead. With one wave of his hand, the two flew across the garden, not stopping until hitting into something. He looked back at Tasuki, who was now standing, defensive position. Nakago didn't even move his hand. Tasuki hit against the tree again. The force of Tasuki and the air blown with him made the tree de-root itself and tumble backwards. Akue put her hands over her head, hoping one of the limbs wouldn't hit her.
Akue looked around dreadfully. "Yep." she thought. "I'm an idiot..."
"And now to slow our enemies." Nakago pointed to Akue. Her arms invisibly bound in front at her at her wrists. This was it...
A huge tree came hurtling at the Seiryu warrior. He stopped his dealing with Akue to block it.
"AKUE! GET OUT OF HERE!" Nuriko shouted.
Akue nodded, running back to the wall. She had to find Chichiri's cloak.
"You should have stayed dead the first time, Nuriko of the Suzaku Seven." Nakago's sign flashed its bright blue again. Nuriko swung back into another tree. A large limb bended like putty, twisting around his neck. The force holding him up stopped. Two hard blows to the back of the head was making Nuriko very woozy... and now he used what strength he had to grab onto the branch, trying to keep avoid injury from hanging himself.
Tasuki spit out a small amount of blood as he stood up, somewhat of a distance away from Nakago. He ran to him, but again, someone had other plans.
A meteor bell zoomed in front of him, cutting so close the front of Tasuki's beige overcoat and shirt was ripped.
"We're not finished!" Suboshi shouted.
Tasuki whipped out his fan. "Rekka Shinen!"
It still didn't work. Nakago's spell had once again taken hold.
"((edited))" Tasuki grumbled. He still held onto it as a shield from Suboshi's constant attacks, but other than that, it was useless. He was a lot faster now... as soon as Tasuki avoided one spinning ball, another came at him from a totally different direction.
Akue spotted the cloak with some difficulty in the dark. She quickly through it over herself, trying to do as Chichiri had instructed. It was harder than she thought... she breathed heavily from her run and from adrenaline... She hoped the others were all right. She could barely see Nuriko... and he was dangling helplessly from a tree.
Several bushes and plants dismounted them selves, flying upwards and over the grounds. Chichiri had hidden, making it more fun for Nakago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miaka ran out the door. She didn't get far before two arms straddled her back.
"Mayo!!!" She cried. "Let me go!!!" Miaka had heard the fight flooding into the window from Mayo's bedroom.
"I don't think so, Miaka YUUKI." Mayo laughed, refusing to use Taka's last name on anyone but herself.
"NO!" Miaka cried, kicking. A blow to Mayo's shin forced the girl to release her. Miaka darted down the hall, Mayo quickly following. Miaka slowed down to turn the corner. Mayo caught her wrists.
Miaka spun around, her hand striking hard against the opposite priestess's face.
Mayo looked at Miaka with increased rage. She gripped Miaka's wrist as tight as she could, slowly twisting it. Miaka cried out in pain.
"Think it's funny, huh Miaka!" Mayo cried too, still twisting. "The only thing I find funny is your pain!!" Mayo let go and kicked Miaka hard in the stomach, causing her to fall to the ground. "I find it hilarious!!" She bent down and grabbed Miaka's hair, pulling her head up. "Taka can't have a wife if she's DEAD!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There it was. Nakago sensed it.
An oval shaped glowing mass of blue shot towards two adjacent bushes. The magician leapt back, receiving a blow to his knee, a "#" shaped symbol glowing brightly.
"Kai ha!!" Chichiri shouted, sending a bolt at Nakago. Nakago skidded back some, but ultimately directed the blast behind him.
Nakago disappeared. Chichiri, armed with his staff, was hit in the back by a life force blast.
Suboshi spun a ryuseisui bell on his finger, releasing it from the long rope. He swung it at Tasuki.
Tasuki quickly ducked, avoiding it.
"Ha!" he mocked. "You'll have to do better than that!"
Suboshi smiled.
Tasuki was confused, until it hit him. I mean, literally HIT him.
The whizzing meteor bell whistled past Tasuki, slashing the edge of his stomach.
Tasuki leaned over, his hand instinctively overlapping the wound.
But the bell wasn't done. It turned a circle, and headed back for him. It wouldn't be done until the bandit was scattered over the grass.
Tasuki leapt. He didn't use his speed often, but now seemed to be a good time.
But the Meteor bell was fast too. Tasuki zipped across the field, so did it. It hung on Tasuki's every move. Tasuki could barely stay half a step ahead of it, especially with his new injury.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Smash!*
Miaka managed to land a punch to Mayo's cheek. It wasn't very hard, but enough to get a head start. Miaka had barely any idea where in the palace she was, she just ran to stay away from Mayo and reach a door.
*thwack!*
Mayo's hard shoe hit the back of Miaka's head. Miaka stumbled, but pure passion kept her running. She saw a second shoe fly by her. She turned another corner, hitting her nose on something hard.
Luckily, Miaka dove between the guards' legs, running harder and looking for any exit. She was about ready to jump out of a window. She was now pursued by three people, her legs aching and her head pounding. She could feel herself move slower... but the people chasing her seemed farther and farther and farther off.
She heard the smacking of her feet against the hard floor, keeping almost in rhythm with the music of the flute. It was distant, but she heard it. Someone was using it on the guards... and Mayo. Was it Amiboshi? No... it couldn't be...
Miaka's eyes grew tired as she ran through the level-ground window, covering her head and landing hard onto the dirt, shards of glass flying around her like snowflakes. She looked up. She made it. That was Chichiri in the distance...
She forced herself on her elbows, crawling closer and closer to her lifeline.
She didn't get very far when her eyes shut, darkness overcoming her.
Akue saw Miaka's breaking through of the window. This definitely wasn't going the way she thought it would.
She swore she saw Nakago look straight at her. She cupped her hands over her mouth, trying to hold her breath.
Nakago opened his hand, another blast forming from his palm. This one dismantled Chichiri's barrier completely, breaking off Chichiri's mask.
'We should have thought this out better, no da...' Chichiri laughed in his head.
Nakago turned at the sound of running coming towards him. The bandit was STILL alive? The image of Tasuki sped up, running straight into Nakago, not doing any damage what so ever. But, it was intentional.
The Meteor bell came right after him. It struck Nakago in the chest, only making a small hole in his clothing before Nakago caught it with his hand, throwing it across the grounds.
Nuriko's eyes were closed, and he had only one hand on the tree limb.
Nakago's symbol glowed more brilliantly than ever before. A large blue wall rose up from the ground in front of Tasuki and Chichiri. It fell like a huge tsunami, smashing over the entire bodies of the two men. They skidded across the ground so hard, there were trails in the mud of their travel. Chichiri's staff had blown out of his hand, and landed a few meters from where he now lay. Tasuki was on his stomach, barely conscious from Nakago's pounding and the still bleeding gash in his side. He seemed to grow paler with every minute.
Nakago put his hand and elbow back. "Now you will be put out of your misery. It is YOUR turn to die."
A large orb the size of Nakago's head began forming in his right hand.
Weak and bewildered, the Suzaku Seven could only watch. Chichiri bowed his head and closed his eyes, ready to take the blow on with dignity.
Tasuki could barely keep his eyes open.
Finally, Nakago found the chi level of his blast to be high enough, and he moved his hand forward to release it.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The sound of Akue's breaths... the movement of Nakago's death warrant.
Akue shook her head, trying to smile.
"I'm sorry, elders..." She whispered, putting her head back up.
"I can't keep my promise."
Akue threw the purple cloak off of her, running the now shorter distance to the ending battle. Her strides seemed to go equally as slow as the scene seemed to pass before her. Pushing her self faster, her hands moved their way up to the band on her forehead. Reaching behind her hair as she ran, she, with difficulty, unsnapped something, pulling the band away from her. She breathed in large amounts of air, trying to keep herself moving.
She made it. She stood in front of the magician and the bandit, the blue mass moving towards her. It seemed to move so much faster from here.
Her eyes shot wide open. It was full speed now. It seemed Akue was going to take the blow...
And it happened.
A green symbol forged its way onto Akue's forehead. Akue moved her hands in front of her, the mark glowing enough to light the castle. Green energy shot from her hands, meeting with Nakago's blast. The blue was engulfed as the gleaming light swallowed it, continuing on to reach Nakago himself.
Nakago's eyes widened in disbelief. How... how could...
HE was the one shot back. The energy surrounded Akue, Tasuki, and Chichiri like a bowl. The branch holding Nuriko snapped apart. Miaka came flying from the ground she laid on to the group of now five. Chichiri's staff came flying too.
Akue, who looked barely the same, turned quickly to Chichiri, the green light almost blinding.
"CHICHIRI!!!" she screamed. "GET US OUT OF HERE!!!!"