Author's note: I think this is one of the chapters I like! I remember
being really impatient to write it. The details in the beginning are a
little shabby, but it gets better. I REALLY like the next chapter, merely
because Nuriko takes his shirt off. sorry, was that spoiling?
To Metajoker: Ouch, that's some hard critism for yaa. Oh well, I do ask for it. Thanks for your opinion! If you have any critiques, please tell me. If you stay with the story, I think you'll like something that happens towards the end. ^_^
To Metajoker again: I write these as I read the reviews, so thanks some more! I'm glad you didn't totally hate chapter 37.
Chapter 39 : Alluded Fears
"It certainly is a lot nicer here than it is up north." Nuriko commented and they rode down the path. The forest around them was bright, the sun pouring through the leaves created a golden touch to the scenery. Nuriko looked to his left. "Miaka, I..."
"Nuriko!" Miaka scolded, laughing. "It's okay! I told you. Don't worry, Tasuki was as bad as you were."
"Hey!" Tasuki said, turning on his horse. Inami laughed.
Miaka sighed, breathing in the warm air. She looked around her. The forestry was gorgeous, and the weather wasn't too hot, or too cold, but just right. She knew Sairo would be hot, so she enjoyed the peace.
"Inami," Saori spoke up from Hotohori's horse, "Who was that man back there?"
~~~Flashback~~~
"Excuse me, could you possibly tell me if there's a shorter route to Sairo from here besides the main road?" Miaka asked a tall man with dark brown hair.
"Sure, you must be a traveler." The man said. He took out a piece of parchment and began scribbling down on it. "A few miles from here is a town called Toraku. At the south end of it there should be a passage heading slightly west, I'm not sure what it's called." He traced the graphite utensil across the parchment. After you pass by the edge of Goko Terrace, just head further west from there, it'll take off about fifteen miles." The man said, handing the paper to Miaka and looking around the group. "Family reunion or something?"
Miaka shook her head smiling as Tasuki and Inami emerged out of a nearby shop, Tasuki now with two new necklaces around his neck. "No, but..."
"Yukini?" The man asked, looking past Miaka and Tamahome.
"Katsu?" Inami asked. "What in the world are you doing so far south?"
"I could ask you the same thing!" The man scolded. "What are you getting into now?" A worried look came over the man's face. "Where's your band?"
"He knows about that?" Tasuki asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Katsu?" Inami asked. "That was pretty awkward... stupid guy's supposed to take care of my dogs... probably got someone else to do it..."
"He knew about you." Tasuki stated.
Inami smiled. "Katsu is pretty nice, actually. Sometimes he's a lot like my first brother."
"He's your brother?" Saori asked.
Inami nodded. "Only one, only sibling."
"Is Yukini you're nickname or something?" Tasuki asked.
Inami shook her head. "It's my real name."
"What?" Saori and Tasuki asked, Miaka tuning into the conversation.
Inami sighed. "My name is Yukini Cheinun, but I guess when I was reborn with my memories I didn't want to accept a new name, I wanted to stay as Akue Ribiki. But... out of sheer respect for my parents and since the last name would give me away, I settled."
"You know, you really should tell me these things..." Tasuki grumbled.
"I'm confused..." Nuriko commented.
"Chichiri," Miaka spoke up, "When we get to Sairo, where do we go from there?"
"Sairo's population is condensed into a lot of major cities because of the climate, no da." Chichiri remarked. "We head to the first city we can find, and go from there."
"Plus we have this thing to help us." Tasuki said, waving his fan around. At the base was a large, red disk, which currently remained dormant.
Chichiri looked off quietly ahead of the group, his thoughts cutting off the conversation from himself. "What's this?" He thought. "I sense an evil aura..."
************************
While Tetsuya read the book, Yui came up from behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her cheek against his neck. "What's going on?" She asked.
"They're headed down to Sairo." Tetsuya replied. "Want me to read aloud?"
"Yes." Yui answered.
"As the group slowly made their way towards Sairo, they continued to pass through the warm forests of Southern Hokkan. As they day proceeded, slight changes in temperature alerted the Suzaku seven of their nearing to the desert country. Chichiri, who lead the group, stiffened, feeling an evil Aura." Tetsuya sighed. "Crap..."
"Keep reading." Yui urged him, moving around and sitting next to him. Keisuke was at Miaka's old high school coaching basketball, so he currently was absent, and Tetsuya had to leave for work in an hour, though he was all ready taking half the day off.
Tetsuya paused for a moment to find his place. "The trees and plants grew in their golden color as the Priestess neared the Sairo border. However, Tomo of the Seiryu Seven was all ready awaiting them, separated from the rest of the Seiryu Seven who all ready dwelled inside the western country. About 15 miles from the border, Tomo began to use his illusions, the ones he had been preparing for ever since that night in Konan..."
*****************************
"It's gotten strong, no da." Chichiri said.
"What?" Nuriko asked.
Chichiri turned around. "There's an evil aura, and it's gotten too strong to ignore."
"Could it be the one Taiisukun told us about?" Tamahome asked.
"I don't know, no da."
Hotohori placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "We must precede, but with caution."
By now the trail was covered with pressed plants that had been trampled by others on the same route. Tasuki, Inami, Mitsukake, and Tamahome all led their horses by the rein, helping to guide them and give them a break at the same time.
A clamshell opened, its insides glowing brightly. Swirls of smoke emerged from it, wrapping around a pale hand with long, red fingernails.
"Do you guys hear that?" Tamahome asked.
The group stopped for a moment to listen.
"Water?" Saori asked, confused until her thoughts were answered.
"Look!" Mitsukake said.
Around their feet and over the ground water began rising, reaching up to everyone's ankles. The horses stepped back some, and the people who rode them still remained dry.
Nuriko looked down over the neck of his horse. "What is this?" He looked up. Through the leaves was a clear sky. "I all ready know it's not rain..."
The water level raised a little higher, the sound of running streams and waterfalls in the distance.
Tasuki lifted his feet nervously. "Chichiri?"
Chichiri dropped off his horse, crouching down. He put his hand into the water. The water was cool, soaking his hand as if a stream magically appeared.
"This is strange..." Inami commented.
The sound of fast moving water grew louder.
"Look out!" Miaka shouted.
Suddenly through the trees a huge wave of water sprang out, hitting the horses as well as the others, towering high above the tree tops. Miaka was instantly swept off her steed, Tamahome caught her and they were engulfed in the cold water.
Chichiri grabbed Saori and leapt as the water hit, forming a slight shield under his feet to stay on top of the oncoming water.
Tasuki looked up from his knocked over position, looking around him as the water didn't lighten up. Inami turned around, a green symbol glowing on her forehead. "What the heck is going on?!" She asked, holding a hand out to keep the water from hitting them. She looked back into the waves and used both hands, the pressure getting stronger and stronger.
Tasuki stood up. "REKKA SHINEN!!!" He shouted.
His fire hit the water, bursting into steam as it did so. The temporary rift revealed a hand, and Tasuki grabbed onto it.
Chiriko coughed as his lungs were finally unveiled to oxygen.
Tasuki felt himself and Chiriko lift off the ground as the waves crashed under them. They floated above the tips of the trees, a raging river below them. Chichiri, and Saori were floating up too, along with two horses.
"It's too strong!" Inami said. Looking down, trying to keep a lock on Tasuki and Chiriko. "Where is Nuriko? Miaka?"
Tasuki clutched onto Chiriko. "Please don't let me fall..." He whispered to himself. He hated the water, and he couldn't swim at all.
"Hey! Over here!" A slightly high voice called. Nuriko was grabbing onto the top of a tree branch, both Miaka and Tamahome under his arm, barely conscious. Most of their bodies were under the rapids.
"Sou ka!" Chichiri shouted, Nuriko and the others rising up a bit. "Tasuki no da! Use your fan, point it down!"
Tasuki did as he was told. "REKKA SHINEN!" He shouted. The fire blasted into the center of the newly formed river, the water whir pooling around it.
"Sou shi min menko rusa!" Chichiri chanted, pointing his staff into the center of the fire. Slowly the water level lowered, and the water all together disappeared, the ground not even being wet for evidence.
Everyone was lowered to the ground, Inami rubbing her head as she brought Chiriko and Tasuki down.
"What? It's not even wet!" Nuriko exclaimed, feeling the path with his hand. "Our clothes are dry too!"
Several horses laid a short distance away, dead.
"What... what could explain this?" Miaka asked.
Chichiri looked around. "I don't know, no da. Stay on your feet, no da. The evil presence hasn't left, no da, and I think it's responsible."
Miaka gave Tamahome an unsure look, and followed Chichiri through the forest, clutching onto her husband's hand.
"So..." Nuriko began, trying to lighten the tense mood after nearly ten minutes of walking in silence, leading the horses by rein. "Chop sticks, huh? Do you know if they're from a certain city or province, Chichiri?"
Chichiri shook his head, and kept walking. "Nansei, perhaps."
The sound of the horses' slow movements filled in another gap.
Nuriko sighed. "Well... at least..." Nuriko's face went blank as the trees he had been looking at disappeared into darkness. Nuriko raised and eyebrow, stepping more-so onto the path. "Uh... guys?"
The group's surrounding suddenly dimmed, a light, hot fog settling down. Individual trees flashed and vanished. The flattened plant and soil path turned a near rusty color and took a more sandy effect. The canopy of trees above them faded into musky clouds, revealing a dirty orange sun, beaming its heat onto the travelers.
Hotohori nearly tripped over something as he walked. He stepped back to see what it was. It wasn't a risen tree root like he suspected, but...
"A tombstone?" Hotohori asked.
"What is this?" Tamahome asked, looking around the scene that had finished creating itself. The area around them was barren and sandy with a few small hills, crooked makeshift tombstones scattered the land.
"Okay, something is going on." Nuriko said. "First a wave of water from no where, and now a graveyard."
Mitsukake looked about the place with a bit of nervousness. Graveyards like this were only thrown together when a mass of people died from a plague or disease, like cholera or malaria.
"Mitsukake?" Miaka asked.
"Could this be one of the Seiryu?" Tamahome looked to Nuriko, who shrugged.
"I don't know, but I don't like it." Nuriko replied, folding his arms.
"Where is this place?" Hotohori looked around. "The yard seems to extend past where the eye can see."
Inami approached one of the small tombstones at knelt down in front of it. The stone was bare, no names or even an initial on it. She reached down and felt the sandy dirt with her fingers. It felt real. Saori knelt down beside her, doing the same.
Tasuki walked over to a chipped headstone. "Well," Tasuki said, tapping his fan on top of the wood, "These dead guys didn't just pop up by themselves."
Suddenly, a light rumbling came from under the stone. A withered brown hand shot up out of the dry, cracked ground, latching itself onto the front of Tasuki's shirt.
"GAH!!!!" Tasuki shouted, pulling away and hitting the hand away with his sharp diamond fan.
"What in the..." Nuriko exclaimed.
"AAH!"
Suddenly three more hands shot up out of the ground and grabbed onto Inami and Saori, wrapping around Saori's ankle and around Inami's neck and wrist. Inami's sign flashed as she directed her powers onto the grotesque hand, but nothing happened.
"NANI?!!!" Inami shouted as she felt her body pulled under the ground. Saori screamed again as she was dragged along, sand flying up into a dust cloud.
"Akue! Saori!" Tasuki yelled, running with his fan.
The dust settled on the ground, and two bony and bandaged Zombies stood, ready to take on more opponents.
"Rekka, Shinen!!" Tasuki shouted, a wall of immense fire shooting forward and engulfing the two skeletons.
The fire swirled around the new enemies, and vanished almost too quickly; the zombies were unharmed, and began to walk forward.
"What the hell?!!" Tasuki shouted.
Suddenly four more zombies shot up from the ground, grabbing onto Miaka as more came up further away.
"Miaka!" Tamahome ran to her, Hotohori on his heels.
"Get your hands off of her!" Hotohori shouted, unsheathing his sword and slicing it down vertically on one that still had an eye in place. Tamahome's foot collided into another's head, sending it flying off its body.
"Physical attacks seem to work, no da!!!" Chichiri announced, lowering his staff. Zombies shot up behind him too, and in a swift motion he turned around and hit the duo simultaneously with his hand and rod.
"Physical attacks, huh?" Tasuki smirked. He ran his hand along his fan, closing it and forcing it into the gut of a zombie approaching him. "Nuriko! Get over here and help me!"
Nuriko cracked his knuckles, a satisfying smug on his face. "Gladly, but I'm already on it." Nuriko commented as he grabbed the arm of one of the living corpses and twisted it around behind its back. "I specialize in physical attacks." He pushed the zombie away, spinning around and punching another. The skeleton's arm, shoulder, and half its rib cage went flying, but he looked at the man un-phased. Suddenly its head flew off from a kick from behind.
"Thanks Tama." Nuriko waved playfully as if there was no battle.
"Hotohori, get this one!" Tasuki said. Hotohori, whose back was to the bandit's, nodded as Tasuki ducked under and evaded the zombies.
Tasuki ran in the other direction, ducking under a punch from a newly risen body. He turned and ducked down beneath two more, skidding across the ground to the fault created from the first of the living dead. He stopped himself and reached down, feeling an arm and grabbing onto it, lifting it out of the crack.
Saori coughed as she was brought up from the grave. Tasuki took her other arm as well and stood to pull her out, surprised by how deep the grave was. As soon as Saori was settled on the level ground, Tasuki urgently reached down again and grabbed onto Inami's hand, pulling her out as well.
"Are you okay?" He asked them, checking for any injuries.
"I hate... " Inami coughed more before finishing her sentence. She shook her head and looked around. "What's going on?!" She shouted, seeing the small army of corpses.
"Use physical attacks." Tasuki said without explanation.
Miaka turned away from where Tamahome and Nuriko were fighting, and saw a bony fist heading straight towards her. She felt the punch whiz past her head as she ducked down right in time. When she looked up, she saw Mitsukake come flying down, hitting the zombie hard enough its neck snapped and it fell dead to the ground.
"This is getting us no where!" Hotohori complained, sideswiping his blade through another zombie. "The more we destroy, the more come up!"
Chiriko, who was having enough problems with the horses, looked up to see two much taller skeletons coming down on him. The zombie with both remaining eyes looked up at the gold end placed on its forehead.
"I hate zombies." Inami said coolly as the blade shot out from the rod in her hand, piercing through the first skeleton's skull and into the next. The zombies gave a shrill cry and shook violently, falling lifeless to the ground as the sword retracted back.
"Inami!" Tamahome said, running up to the brunette, "Take Miaka!" He said, nearly throwing the redhead at Inami and Chiriko before heading off again.
"Tamahome!" Miaka shouted after him.
"HAH!" Nuriko shouted as he threw another fist at the zombie from behind. However, his fist passed through like a ghost, and the zombie disappeared.
"Huh?" Nuriko asked.
The warriors looked around confused as each zombie faded away into thin air. After them the gravestones faded away, and the deserty land was replaced by grass and trees. It was all back to normal.
Inami slunk down to the ground. "This is too weird..."
"You're tellin' me." Tasuki concurred.
Chichiri looked around. "They're gone."
"Yeah, we kinda got that." Tasuki sniped, leaning on one of the remaining two horses. Chichiri thought for a moment. "The graveyard, the zombies, the water, it all appeared and disappeared on its own, no da."
"They were real though." Miaka spoke up. "I know it, all of it was real, wasn't it?"
"Chichiri," Chiriko began, "Do you think maybe..."
Chichiri nodded. "Illusions."
Inami made a sour face. "You mean that Tomo guy? The one of the Seiryu Seven?"
Chichiri nodded.
Hotohori sighed. "We best continue on. We are making poor timing, we need to get to Sairo. Everyone, stay together in case this isn't the end. You two especially, Miaka and Tamahome." He looked over. "Saori, I want you to stay close to Nuriko and I, Chiriko stay near Tasuki and Inami."
"Let's go, no da." Chichiri said a bit more seriously yet cautiously, leading the group. Chiriko, who was with Inami and Tasuki in the back, tugged gently on the horses' reins to get them moving. Even the horses seemed to be on the look out.
*******************************
"This isn't good." Tetsuya sighed. He looked at his watch. "I gotta get out of here in an hour."
"I hate this book." Yui groaned. "It's all I've thought about for the past week... or two... see? I don't even know how long it's been!"
"And things aren't improving on Mayo's and Saori's case either." Tetsuya said, worried. "Two friends, kidnapped days apart, it's all over the news. People at work are talking about it, not to mention probably everyone at their high school."
Yui looked at the old pages of the Universe of the Four Gods. "Should... should we tell them?"
Tetsuya shook his head. "Tell them what? Oh, the two girls you're looking for are inside this old book. Funny story actually..."
"I get your point." Yui said. "Keep reading. Hikari needs attention today, so I need to get as much in before you leave." Yui heard a wail coming from the other room. "There's my cue, I'll be right back."
"Okay." Tetsuya said, staring onto the pages with new writing. "This is really bad timing, all of this..." Tetsuya thought, staring off into space for a moment, heaving a sigh. He reached down into his pants pocket, relaxing his fingers on the small box that lay concealed there . He had to keep it with him all the time so Yui wouldn't find it. "I would have asked by now, but with all this... Miaka, Taka, Saori, and Mayo... it's not a good time." Tetsuya focused back on the characters spread out on the page. "Still on alert, the group continued through the dense, warm Hokkan forests. The trees slowly got thinner, and the air got warmer, telling them they neared ever closer to Sairo. However, Tomo of the Seiryu Seven was not yet finished in his task..." Tetsuya frowned. "Oh man..." He complained, looking down the hallway to see if Yui had come back yet. He began reading again, only silently. "The Priestess had only covered two more miles before yet another illusion surfaced, perhaps stronger than the first two..."
*************************
The rings on Chichiri's staff jingled again as he held the staff out horizontally, issuing for everyone to stop.
"Chichiri?" Miaka asked, almost in a whisper. "Is... is it another illusion?"
Chichiri stood silently, as if trying to sense the currents in the air.
Saori scooted closer to Nuriko. "Please no more dead guys... please no more dead guys..." She prayed to herself.
Nuriko put a hand on her shoulder, then looked ahead to see if Chichiri would do anything.
Movement. The bushes rustled.
Inami and Tasuki both got out their weapons, ready for another fight. Chiriko, almost as if on instinct, began to slowly back the horses up.
More movement, more rustling. It was louder, closer.
Hotohori drew his sword, Tamahome took a step in front of Miaka.
"SKAAAA!" Came an airy, shrilly voice and the noises came closer and louder. Now the rustling of the bushes was visible. Something was coming towards them, and fast.
"Prepare yourselves!!" Hotohori shouted.
Finally, the object emerged onto the wide pathway.
It was about three feet high, a rumbling thick cloud of black that floated and fluttered menacingly above the ground. It hovered for only a moment before two red eyes seemed to open, glaring at the armed warriors. Two more opened above them, and then two more.
"How many are there?" Miaka asked quietly, holding onto Tamahome.
No one moved.
Finally, the black looming cloud began to expand, growing larger and larger on the path. It's middle extended wider, it's sides growing long and slim, parting into four sections, and then parting again as it grew.
Chichiri held his staff out, taking a step back.
The mass began to take shape. The cloudiness became slick and solid, still black. The red eyes were more defiant, and large, glaring down with an unknown hatred. The body of the monster reached high above the ground, towering in with the treetops. The parted sides formed into long, thick legs. Two fangs formed around a wide mouth.
"SKAAAA!!!!!" It called again.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!" Saori screamed, trying to run away and hold onto Nuriko at the same time. "THAT'S THE HUGEST FREAKING SPIDER I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She panicked.
Miaka stood nearly paralyzed, shaking.
"Puh." Tasuki said sarcastically, throwing his fan over his shoulder. "We can take this thing, right Akue?"
Inami didn't answer.
Tasuki looked over. "Akue?"
Inami stood, eyes fixated on the spider. Her breathing was increased, and her hand shook wildly, clutching onto the gold rod. A pure look of terror was written across her face. Inami slowly took a step back, her shoulders stiff. She slowly shook her head, her face going drastically pale. Another step, she dropped her weapon, and began to fall.
"Akue!" Tasuki shouted, running over and catching her just in time. He looked over to Nuriko and Hotohori, who were watching with worried expressions. "She's out cold." Tasuki said.
"What?" Nuriko asked, surprised. However, he was answered with another shrill scream from the spider. The spider slowly put one of its long eight legs behind it, crouching down.
"It's gonna move!" Tamahome shouted.
As suspected, the spider sprung off its leg like a spring and propelled forward into the small crowd. Tamahome pushed Miaka out of the way into the shelter of the trees, barely able to dodge the large beast himself. He stumbled and rolled across the dirt path, a long scrape emerging on his shin.
"Saori!" Nuriko grabbed the girl's arm and pushed her down to the ground, the spider passing quickly over them.
"Rekka, Shinen!" Tasuki shouted as the spider neared him. The fire surrounded the spider as the ground shook from its weight, but like before the spider emerged from the flames unscathed. Its head reeled back, and from its mouth shot forth an array of green venom at the bandit. Tasuki grabbed Inami in his arms and leapt out of the way, his speed just enough to surpass the attack. The green ooze landed onto the ground, smoking and bubbling wildly.
The spider didn't seem happy. It turned around and in an instant sprung forward again.
Nuriko stood up, his wrists glowing red for a moment before armbands appeared, pushing his long sleeves back. He stood ready as the spider charged.
WHAM!
The spider's front leg hit into Nuriko, who was using all of his strength to stop the beast. It was working, but it wouldn't hold long.
Hotohori took the opportunity and leapt up into the air, bringing his sword down onto the spider's head.
"SKAAAAA!!!!" The spider gasped as three of its eyes burst open, bleeding onto the ground. In its rage it flung Nuriko off its leg and into a tree. The force was so great the tree fell over from the impact, and so did Nuriko.
The horses pulled barely away from the fight neighed and bucked frightfully as Chiriko tried to calm them down. The noise and panic drew the attention of the large attacker.
The spider reared up on its front legs this time, nearly doing a handstand as it's body bent forwards. It seemed to fatten up for a moment before shooting out several thick streams of white. Chiriko looked up as the gooey substance engulfed his body, as well as the body of a horse. He couldn't even attempt to struggle against it. The remaining strings webbed onto the trees, and instant trap to anyone who touched it.
"So hin..." Chichiri whispered, concentrating. But, as he expected, this time his magic has no effect on the illusion holding Chiriko.
"Chiriko!" Miaka shouted from behind the trees. Saori looked at her from across the path, hidden by the brush as well. Miaka dropped down out of sight.
"He'll suffocate if he don't get him out!" Tasuki announced, standing up. The web around Chiriko slowly got thicker and thicker, all ready covering half his face. If Tasuki's fire and Chichiri's magic worked, they could have easily gotten him out by now.
"HAA!" Tamahome yelled, a bright symbol radiating fully on his forehead. He ran forward with a new force, hitting the spider in the leg as hard as he could with his fist.
"SKAAAA!" The spider called out again, the exterior of its second front leg cracking. It stepped back, looking at Tamahome with its good eyes. Its fangs rubbed together hungrily, before spreading apart to admit more green poison.
Tamahome ran under the spider's body to avoid being hit, but the spider followed, fairly fast for its size. It shot out another helping of venom, then another. Tamahome managed to time it just right and dodged behind a thick black leg and the fourth shot. The venom plastered itself onto the spider's leg, burning it through.
"SKAAAAA!" The spider wailed. He turned to Tamahome, who was now somewhat cornered. It stood ready to attack when a gold rod hit it in the head.
"Get away from Tamahome!" Miaka shouted, her hands in fists, ready to throw anything else she had.
"Miaka, you idiot! Get away from there!" Nuriko said, squinting and barely able to stand.
The spider turned around and towered over Miaka threatingly.
"Uh... huh....." Miaka stuttered, gawking up at the large beast.
"Miaka!" Saori shouted, running out from her own hideout. She picked up the fallen rod and she too threw it at the spider, though no harm was done. The spider stared fixatedly at Saori, angry. Springing back, it charged at her.
"AHHH!!!!" Saori screamed, running the other way. "I HATE BUGS!!!!"
Miaka ran and picked up the rod, shaking it and hitting it furiously. "How do you WORK this thing?!!!"
Just as the spider was about to crush Saori she felt an arm wrap around her, and the image of the spider disappeared from her sight and she reappeared from atop its back.
"Ah!" Saori shouted, looking behind her. "Chichiri?"
Chichiri held his staff and swung it hard through the webbing on the spiders back. It didn't do much help.
"Min ka!" Chichiri shouted, holding his staff out. The rings of the staff shot forward to the tip of the gold end, flashing into a newly formed spear-head. With a steady swipe, it cut through the strings. The images before Saori disappeared yet again and she found herself back on the path near several trees with Chichiri and Chiriko, who was slowly getting free from the remaining webbing.
"Hotohori, I'll distract it, you get it!" Tasuki shouted to the emperor. Hotohori quickly nodded as Tasuki ran like the wind to the front of the spider. As he did so he hit the spider's legs hard with his pure diamond fan, cutting them nearly through.
"SKAAAA!!!!!!" The spider screamed angrily, looking down at the bandit.
"Rekka, SHINEN!" Tasuki shouted, holding his open fan straight up. A wall of fire covered the path. Though the fire couldn't harm the insect, the bright light could still work as a distraction.
Hotohori leapt up onto the spider with his own agility, running to the middle of the monster. He raised his sword up powerfully, a red symbol flashing on his neck. With a quick charge, he pierced his sword deep into the heart of the arachnid, all of the blade disappearing within the spider's body.
"SKAAAA!!!!!" The spider cried, perhaps louder than ever before. It's front legs finally snapped and he fell head first into the dirt as Hotohori ripped his weapon out and leapt away, landing by Tasuki. The wound on the spiders back smoked a green color as the rest of its body collapsed to the ground, disappearing from sight.
Chiriko looked amazed as the remaining webbing from around his body vanished into steam. The webbing on the trees disappeared as well, revealing one standing horse, and one dead one.
More Author's notes: If you haven't figured out exactly what's happening by now, re-read the title. ^_^
To Metajoker: Ouch, that's some hard critism for yaa. Oh well, I do ask for it. Thanks for your opinion! If you have any critiques, please tell me. If you stay with the story, I think you'll like something that happens towards the end. ^_^
To Metajoker again: I write these as I read the reviews, so thanks some more! I'm glad you didn't totally hate chapter 37.
Chapter 39 : Alluded Fears
"It certainly is a lot nicer here than it is up north." Nuriko commented and they rode down the path. The forest around them was bright, the sun pouring through the leaves created a golden touch to the scenery. Nuriko looked to his left. "Miaka, I..."
"Nuriko!" Miaka scolded, laughing. "It's okay! I told you. Don't worry, Tasuki was as bad as you were."
"Hey!" Tasuki said, turning on his horse. Inami laughed.
Miaka sighed, breathing in the warm air. She looked around her. The forestry was gorgeous, and the weather wasn't too hot, or too cold, but just right. She knew Sairo would be hot, so she enjoyed the peace.
"Inami," Saori spoke up from Hotohori's horse, "Who was that man back there?"
~~~Flashback~~~
"Excuse me, could you possibly tell me if there's a shorter route to Sairo from here besides the main road?" Miaka asked a tall man with dark brown hair.
"Sure, you must be a traveler." The man said. He took out a piece of parchment and began scribbling down on it. "A few miles from here is a town called Toraku. At the south end of it there should be a passage heading slightly west, I'm not sure what it's called." He traced the graphite utensil across the parchment. After you pass by the edge of Goko Terrace, just head further west from there, it'll take off about fifteen miles." The man said, handing the paper to Miaka and looking around the group. "Family reunion or something?"
Miaka shook her head smiling as Tasuki and Inami emerged out of a nearby shop, Tasuki now with two new necklaces around his neck. "No, but..."
"Yukini?" The man asked, looking past Miaka and Tamahome.
"Katsu?" Inami asked. "What in the world are you doing so far south?"
"I could ask you the same thing!" The man scolded. "What are you getting into now?" A worried look came over the man's face. "Where's your band?"
"He knows about that?" Tasuki asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Katsu?" Inami asked. "That was pretty awkward... stupid guy's supposed to take care of my dogs... probably got someone else to do it..."
"He knew about you." Tasuki stated.
Inami smiled. "Katsu is pretty nice, actually. Sometimes he's a lot like my first brother."
"He's your brother?" Saori asked.
Inami nodded. "Only one, only sibling."
"Is Yukini you're nickname or something?" Tasuki asked.
Inami shook her head. "It's my real name."
"What?" Saori and Tasuki asked, Miaka tuning into the conversation.
Inami sighed. "My name is Yukini Cheinun, but I guess when I was reborn with my memories I didn't want to accept a new name, I wanted to stay as Akue Ribiki. But... out of sheer respect for my parents and since the last name would give me away, I settled."
"You know, you really should tell me these things..." Tasuki grumbled.
"I'm confused..." Nuriko commented.
"Chichiri," Miaka spoke up, "When we get to Sairo, where do we go from there?"
"Sairo's population is condensed into a lot of major cities because of the climate, no da." Chichiri remarked. "We head to the first city we can find, and go from there."
"Plus we have this thing to help us." Tasuki said, waving his fan around. At the base was a large, red disk, which currently remained dormant.
Chichiri looked off quietly ahead of the group, his thoughts cutting off the conversation from himself. "What's this?" He thought. "I sense an evil aura..."
************************
While Tetsuya read the book, Yui came up from behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her cheek against his neck. "What's going on?" She asked.
"They're headed down to Sairo." Tetsuya replied. "Want me to read aloud?"
"Yes." Yui answered.
"As the group slowly made their way towards Sairo, they continued to pass through the warm forests of Southern Hokkan. As they day proceeded, slight changes in temperature alerted the Suzaku seven of their nearing to the desert country. Chichiri, who lead the group, stiffened, feeling an evil Aura." Tetsuya sighed. "Crap..."
"Keep reading." Yui urged him, moving around and sitting next to him. Keisuke was at Miaka's old high school coaching basketball, so he currently was absent, and Tetsuya had to leave for work in an hour, though he was all ready taking half the day off.
Tetsuya paused for a moment to find his place. "The trees and plants grew in their golden color as the Priestess neared the Sairo border. However, Tomo of the Seiryu Seven was all ready awaiting them, separated from the rest of the Seiryu Seven who all ready dwelled inside the western country. About 15 miles from the border, Tomo began to use his illusions, the ones he had been preparing for ever since that night in Konan..."
*****************************
"It's gotten strong, no da." Chichiri said.
"What?" Nuriko asked.
Chichiri turned around. "There's an evil aura, and it's gotten too strong to ignore."
"Could it be the one Taiisukun told us about?" Tamahome asked.
"I don't know, no da."
Hotohori placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "We must precede, but with caution."
By now the trail was covered with pressed plants that had been trampled by others on the same route. Tasuki, Inami, Mitsukake, and Tamahome all led their horses by the rein, helping to guide them and give them a break at the same time.
A clamshell opened, its insides glowing brightly. Swirls of smoke emerged from it, wrapping around a pale hand with long, red fingernails.
"Do you guys hear that?" Tamahome asked.
The group stopped for a moment to listen.
"Water?" Saori asked, confused until her thoughts were answered.
"Look!" Mitsukake said.
Around their feet and over the ground water began rising, reaching up to everyone's ankles. The horses stepped back some, and the people who rode them still remained dry.
Nuriko looked down over the neck of his horse. "What is this?" He looked up. Through the leaves was a clear sky. "I all ready know it's not rain..."
The water level raised a little higher, the sound of running streams and waterfalls in the distance.
Tasuki lifted his feet nervously. "Chichiri?"
Chichiri dropped off his horse, crouching down. He put his hand into the water. The water was cool, soaking his hand as if a stream magically appeared.
"This is strange..." Inami commented.
The sound of fast moving water grew louder.
"Look out!" Miaka shouted.
Suddenly through the trees a huge wave of water sprang out, hitting the horses as well as the others, towering high above the tree tops. Miaka was instantly swept off her steed, Tamahome caught her and they were engulfed in the cold water.
Chichiri grabbed Saori and leapt as the water hit, forming a slight shield under his feet to stay on top of the oncoming water.
Tasuki looked up from his knocked over position, looking around him as the water didn't lighten up. Inami turned around, a green symbol glowing on her forehead. "What the heck is going on?!" She asked, holding a hand out to keep the water from hitting them. She looked back into the waves and used both hands, the pressure getting stronger and stronger.
Tasuki stood up. "REKKA SHINEN!!!" He shouted.
His fire hit the water, bursting into steam as it did so. The temporary rift revealed a hand, and Tasuki grabbed onto it.
Chiriko coughed as his lungs were finally unveiled to oxygen.
Tasuki felt himself and Chiriko lift off the ground as the waves crashed under them. They floated above the tips of the trees, a raging river below them. Chichiri, and Saori were floating up too, along with two horses.
"It's too strong!" Inami said. Looking down, trying to keep a lock on Tasuki and Chiriko. "Where is Nuriko? Miaka?"
Tasuki clutched onto Chiriko. "Please don't let me fall..." He whispered to himself. He hated the water, and he couldn't swim at all.
"Hey! Over here!" A slightly high voice called. Nuriko was grabbing onto the top of a tree branch, both Miaka and Tamahome under his arm, barely conscious. Most of their bodies were under the rapids.
"Sou ka!" Chichiri shouted, Nuriko and the others rising up a bit. "Tasuki no da! Use your fan, point it down!"
Tasuki did as he was told. "REKKA SHINEN!" He shouted. The fire blasted into the center of the newly formed river, the water whir pooling around it.
"Sou shi min menko rusa!" Chichiri chanted, pointing his staff into the center of the fire. Slowly the water level lowered, and the water all together disappeared, the ground not even being wet for evidence.
Everyone was lowered to the ground, Inami rubbing her head as she brought Chiriko and Tasuki down.
"What? It's not even wet!" Nuriko exclaimed, feeling the path with his hand. "Our clothes are dry too!"
Several horses laid a short distance away, dead.
"What... what could explain this?" Miaka asked.
Chichiri looked around. "I don't know, no da. Stay on your feet, no da. The evil presence hasn't left, no da, and I think it's responsible."
Miaka gave Tamahome an unsure look, and followed Chichiri through the forest, clutching onto her husband's hand.
"So..." Nuriko began, trying to lighten the tense mood after nearly ten minutes of walking in silence, leading the horses by rein. "Chop sticks, huh? Do you know if they're from a certain city or province, Chichiri?"
Chichiri shook his head, and kept walking. "Nansei, perhaps."
The sound of the horses' slow movements filled in another gap.
Nuriko sighed. "Well... at least..." Nuriko's face went blank as the trees he had been looking at disappeared into darkness. Nuriko raised and eyebrow, stepping more-so onto the path. "Uh... guys?"
The group's surrounding suddenly dimmed, a light, hot fog settling down. Individual trees flashed and vanished. The flattened plant and soil path turned a near rusty color and took a more sandy effect. The canopy of trees above them faded into musky clouds, revealing a dirty orange sun, beaming its heat onto the travelers.
Hotohori nearly tripped over something as he walked. He stepped back to see what it was. It wasn't a risen tree root like he suspected, but...
"A tombstone?" Hotohori asked.
"What is this?" Tamahome asked, looking around the scene that had finished creating itself. The area around them was barren and sandy with a few small hills, crooked makeshift tombstones scattered the land.
"Okay, something is going on." Nuriko said. "First a wave of water from no where, and now a graveyard."
Mitsukake looked about the place with a bit of nervousness. Graveyards like this were only thrown together when a mass of people died from a plague or disease, like cholera or malaria.
"Mitsukake?" Miaka asked.
"Could this be one of the Seiryu?" Tamahome looked to Nuriko, who shrugged.
"I don't know, but I don't like it." Nuriko replied, folding his arms.
"Where is this place?" Hotohori looked around. "The yard seems to extend past where the eye can see."
Inami approached one of the small tombstones at knelt down in front of it. The stone was bare, no names or even an initial on it. She reached down and felt the sandy dirt with her fingers. It felt real. Saori knelt down beside her, doing the same.
Tasuki walked over to a chipped headstone. "Well," Tasuki said, tapping his fan on top of the wood, "These dead guys didn't just pop up by themselves."
Suddenly, a light rumbling came from under the stone. A withered brown hand shot up out of the dry, cracked ground, latching itself onto the front of Tasuki's shirt.
"GAH!!!!" Tasuki shouted, pulling away and hitting the hand away with his sharp diamond fan.
"What in the..." Nuriko exclaimed.
"AAH!"
Suddenly three more hands shot up out of the ground and grabbed onto Inami and Saori, wrapping around Saori's ankle and around Inami's neck and wrist. Inami's sign flashed as she directed her powers onto the grotesque hand, but nothing happened.
"NANI?!!!" Inami shouted as she felt her body pulled under the ground. Saori screamed again as she was dragged along, sand flying up into a dust cloud.
"Akue! Saori!" Tasuki yelled, running with his fan.
The dust settled on the ground, and two bony and bandaged Zombies stood, ready to take on more opponents.
"Rekka, Shinen!!" Tasuki shouted, a wall of immense fire shooting forward and engulfing the two skeletons.
The fire swirled around the new enemies, and vanished almost too quickly; the zombies were unharmed, and began to walk forward.
"What the hell?!!" Tasuki shouted.
Suddenly four more zombies shot up from the ground, grabbing onto Miaka as more came up further away.
"Miaka!" Tamahome ran to her, Hotohori on his heels.
"Get your hands off of her!" Hotohori shouted, unsheathing his sword and slicing it down vertically on one that still had an eye in place. Tamahome's foot collided into another's head, sending it flying off its body.
"Physical attacks seem to work, no da!!!" Chichiri announced, lowering his staff. Zombies shot up behind him too, and in a swift motion he turned around and hit the duo simultaneously with his hand and rod.
"Physical attacks, huh?" Tasuki smirked. He ran his hand along his fan, closing it and forcing it into the gut of a zombie approaching him. "Nuriko! Get over here and help me!"
Nuriko cracked his knuckles, a satisfying smug on his face. "Gladly, but I'm already on it." Nuriko commented as he grabbed the arm of one of the living corpses and twisted it around behind its back. "I specialize in physical attacks." He pushed the zombie away, spinning around and punching another. The skeleton's arm, shoulder, and half its rib cage went flying, but he looked at the man un-phased. Suddenly its head flew off from a kick from behind.
"Thanks Tama." Nuriko waved playfully as if there was no battle.
"Hotohori, get this one!" Tasuki said. Hotohori, whose back was to the bandit's, nodded as Tasuki ducked under and evaded the zombies.
Tasuki ran in the other direction, ducking under a punch from a newly risen body. He turned and ducked down beneath two more, skidding across the ground to the fault created from the first of the living dead. He stopped himself and reached down, feeling an arm and grabbing onto it, lifting it out of the crack.
Saori coughed as she was brought up from the grave. Tasuki took her other arm as well and stood to pull her out, surprised by how deep the grave was. As soon as Saori was settled on the level ground, Tasuki urgently reached down again and grabbed onto Inami's hand, pulling her out as well.
"Are you okay?" He asked them, checking for any injuries.
"I hate... " Inami coughed more before finishing her sentence. She shook her head and looked around. "What's going on?!" She shouted, seeing the small army of corpses.
"Use physical attacks." Tasuki said without explanation.
Miaka turned away from where Tamahome and Nuriko were fighting, and saw a bony fist heading straight towards her. She felt the punch whiz past her head as she ducked down right in time. When she looked up, she saw Mitsukake come flying down, hitting the zombie hard enough its neck snapped and it fell dead to the ground.
"This is getting us no where!" Hotohori complained, sideswiping his blade through another zombie. "The more we destroy, the more come up!"
Chiriko, who was having enough problems with the horses, looked up to see two much taller skeletons coming down on him. The zombie with both remaining eyes looked up at the gold end placed on its forehead.
"I hate zombies." Inami said coolly as the blade shot out from the rod in her hand, piercing through the first skeleton's skull and into the next. The zombies gave a shrill cry and shook violently, falling lifeless to the ground as the sword retracted back.
"Inami!" Tamahome said, running up to the brunette, "Take Miaka!" He said, nearly throwing the redhead at Inami and Chiriko before heading off again.
"Tamahome!" Miaka shouted after him.
"HAH!" Nuriko shouted as he threw another fist at the zombie from behind. However, his fist passed through like a ghost, and the zombie disappeared.
"Huh?" Nuriko asked.
The warriors looked around confused as each zombie faded away into thin air. After them the gravestones faded away, and the deserty land was replaced by grass and trees. It was all back to normal.
Inami slunk down to the ground. "This is too weird..."
"You're tellin' me." Tasuki concurred.
Chichiri looked around. "They're gone."
"Yeah, we kinda got that." Tasuki sniped, leaning on one of the remaining two horses. Chichiri thought for a moment. "The graveyard, the zombies, the water, it all appeared and disappeared on its own, no da."
"They were real though." Miaka spoke up. "I know it, all of it was real, wasn't it?"
"Chichiri," Chiriko began, "Do you think maybe..."
Chichiri nodded. "Illusions."
Inami made a sour face. "You mean that Tomo guy? The one of the Seiryu Seven?"
Chichiri nodded.
Hotohori sighed. "We best continue on. We are making poor timing, we need to get to Sairo. Everyone, stay together in case this isn't the end. You two especially, Miaka and Tamahome." He looked over. "Saori, I want you to stay close to Nuriko and I, Chiriko stay near Tasuki and Inami."
"Let's go, no da." Chichiri said a bit more seriously yet cautiously, leading the group. Chiriko, who was with Inami and Tasuki in the back, tugged gently on the horses' reins to get them moving. Even the horses seemed to be on the look out.
*******************************
"This isn't good." Tetsuya sighed. He looked at his watch. "I gotta get out of here in an hour."
"I hate this book." Yui groaned. "It's all I've thought about for the past week... or two... see? I don't even know how long it's been!"
"And things aren't improving on Mayo's and Saori's case either." Tetsuya said, worried. "Two friends, kidnapped days apart, it's all over the news. People at work are talking about it, not to mention probably everyone at their high school."
Yui looked at the old pages of the Universe of the Four Gods. "Should... should we tell them?"
Tetsuya shook his head. "Tell them what? Oh, the two girls you're looking for are inside this old book. Funny story actually..."
"I get your point." Yui said. "Keep reading. Hikari needs attention today, so I need to get as much in before you leave." Yui heard a wail coming from the other room. "There's my cue, I'll be right back."
"Okay." Tetsuya said, staring onto the pages with new writing. "This is really bad timing, all of this..." Tetsuya thought, staring off into space for a moment, heaving a sigh. He reached down into his pants pocket, relaxing his fingers on the small box that lay concealed there . He had to keep it with him all the time so Yui wouldn't find it. "I would have asked by now, but with all this... Miaka, Taka, Saori, and Mayo... it's not a good time." Tetsuya focused back on the characters spread out on the page. "Still on alert, the group continued through the dense, warm Hokkan forests. The trees slowly got thinner, and the air got warmer, telling them they neared ever closer to Sairo. However, Tomo of the Seiryu Seven was not yet finished in his task..." Tetsuya frowned. "Oh man..." He complained, looking down the hallway to see if Yui had come back yet. He began reading again, only silently. "The Priestess had only covered two more miles before yet another illusion surfaced, perhaps stronger than the first two..."
*************************
The rings on Chichiri's staff jingled again as he held the staff out horizontally, issuing for everyone to stop.
"Chichiri?" Miaka asked, almost in a whisper. "Is... is it another illusion?"
Chichiri stood silently, as if trying to sense the currents in the air.
Saori scooted closer to Nuriko. "Please no more dead guys... please no more dead guys..." She prayed to herself.
Nuriko put a hand on her shoulder, then looked ahead to see if Chichiri would do anything.
Movement. The bushes rustled.
Inami and Tasuki both got out their weapons, ready for another fight. Chiriko, almost as if on instinct, began to slowly back the horses up.
More movement, more rustling. It was louder, closer.
Hotohori drew his sword, Tamahome took a step in front of Miaka.
"SKAAAA!" Came an airy, shrilly voice and the noises came closer and louder. Now the rustling of the bushes was visible. Something was coming towards them, and fast.
"Prepare yourselves!!" Hotohori shouted.
Finally, the object emerged onto the wide pathway.
It was about three feet high, a rumbling thick cloud of black that floated and fluttered menacingly above the ground. It hovered for only a moment before two red eyes seemed to open, glaring at the armed warriors. Two more opened above them, and then two more.
"How many are there?" Miaka asked quietly, holding onto Tamahome.
No one moved.
Finally, the black looming cloud began to expand, growing larger and larger on the path. It's middle extended wider, it's sides growing long and slim, parting into four sections, and then parting again as it grew.
Chichiri held his staff out, taking a step back.
The mass began to take shape. The cloudiness became slick and solid, still black. The red eyes were more defiant, and large, glaring down with an unknown hatred. The body of the monster reached high above the ground, towering in with the treetops. The parted sides formed into long, thick legs. Two fangs formed around a wide mouth.
"SKAAAA!!!!!" It called again.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!" Saori screamed, trying to run away and hold onto Nuriko at the same time. "THAT'S THE HUGEST FREAKING SPIDER I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She panicked.
Miaka stood nearly paralyzed, shaking.
"Puh." Tasuki said sarcastically, throwing his fan over his shoulder. "We can take this thing, right Akue?"
Inami didn't answer.
Tasuki looked over. "Akue?"
Inami stood, eyes fixated on the spider. Her breathing was increased, and her hand shook wildly, clutching onto the gold rod. A pure look of terror was written across her face. Inami slowly took a step back, her shoulders stiff. She slowly shook her head, her face going drastically pale. Another step, she dropped her weapon, and began to fall.
"Akue!" Tasuki shouted, running over and catching her just in time. He looked over to Nuriko and Hotohori, who were watching with worried expressions. "She's out cold." Tasuki said.
"What?" Nuriko asked, surprised. However, he was answered with another shrill scream from the spider. The spider slowly put one of its long eight legs behind it, crouching down.
"It's gonna move!" Tamahome shouted.
As suspected, the spider sprung off its leg like a spring and propelled forward into the small crowd. Tamahome pushed Miaka out of the way into the shelter of the trees, barely able to dodge the large beast himself. He stumbled and rolled across the dirt path, a long scrape emerging on his shin.
"Saori!" Nuriko grabbed the girl's arm and pushed her down to the ground, the spider passing quickly over them.
"Rekka, Shinen!" Tasuki shouted as the spider neared him. The fire surrounded the spider as the ground shook from its weight, but like before the spider emerged from the flames unscathed. Its head reeled back, and from its mouth shot forth an array of green venom at the bandit. Tasuki grabbed Inami in his arms and leapt out of the way, his speed just enough to surpass the attack. The green ooze landed onto the ground, smoking and bubbling wildly.
The spider didn't seem happy. It turned around and in an instant sprung forward again.
Nuriko stood up, his wrists glowing red for a moment before armbands appeared, pushing his long sleeves back. He stood ready as the spider charged.
WHAM!
The spider's front leg hit into Nuriko, who was using all of his strength to stop the beast. It was working, but it wouldn't hold long.
Hotohori took the opportunity and leapt up into the air, bringing his sword down onto the spider's head.
"SKAAAAA!!!!" The spider gasped as three of its eyes burst open, bleeding onto the ground. In its rage it flung Nuriko off its leg and into a tree. The force was so great the tree fell over from the impact, and so did Nuriko.
The horses pulled barely away from the fight neighed and bucked frightfully as Chiriko tried to calm them down. The noise and panic drew the attention of the large attacker.
The spider reared up on its front legs this time, nearly doing a handstand as it's body bent forwards. It seemed to fatten up for a moment before shooting out several thick streams of white. Chiriko looked up as the gooey substance engulfed his body, as well as the body of a horse. He couldn't even attempt to struggle against it. The remaining strings webbed onto the trees, and instant trap to anyone who touched it.
"So hin..." Chichiri whispered, concentrating. But, as he expected, this time his magic has no effect on the illusion holding Chiriko.
"Chiriko!" Miaka shouted from behind the trees. Saori looked at her from across the path, hidden by the brush as well. Miaka dropped down out of sight.
"He'll suffocate if he don't get him out!" Tasuki announced, standing up. The web around Chiriko slowly got thicker and thicker, all ready covering half his face. If Tasuki's fire and Chichiri's magic worked, they could have easily gotten him out by now.
"HAA!" Tamahome yelled, a bright symbol radiating fully on his forehead. He ran forward with a new force, hitting the spider in the leg as hard as he could with his fist.
"SKAAAA!" The spider called out again, the exterior of its second front leg cracking. It stepped back, looking at Tamahome with its good eyes. Its fangs rubbed together hungrily, before spreading apart to admit more green poison.
Tamahome ran under the spider's body to avoid being hit, but the spider followed, fairly fast for its size. It shot out another helping of venom, then another. Tamahome managed to time it just right and dodged behind a thick black leg and the fourth shot. The venom plastered itself onto the spider's leg, burning it through.
"SKAAAAA!" The spider wailed. He turned to Tamahome, who was now somewhat cornered. It stood ready to attack when a gold rod hit it in the head.
"Get away from Tamahome!" Miaka shouted, her hands in fists, ready to throw anything else she had.
"Miaka, you idiot! Get away from there!" Nuriko said, squinting and barely able to stand.
The spider turned around and towered over Miaka threatingly.
"Uh... huh....." Miaka stuttered, gawking up at the large beast.
"Miaka!" Saori shouted, running out from her own hideout. She picked up the fallen rod and she too threw it at the spider, though no harm was done. The spider stared fixatedly at Saori, angry. Springing back, it charged at her.
"AHHH!!!!" Saori screamed, running the other way. "I HATE BUGS!!!!"
Miaka ran and picked up the rod, shaking it and hitting it furiously. "How do you WORK this thing?!!!"
Just as the spider was about to crush Saori she felt an arm wrap around her, and the image of the spider disappeared from her sight and she reappeared from atop its back.
"Ah!" Saori shouted, looking behind her. "Chichiri?"
Chichiri held his staff and swung it hard through the webbing on the spiders back. It didn't do much help.
"Min ka!" Chichiri shouted, holding his staff out. The rings of the staff shot forward to the tip of the gold end, flashing into a newly formed spear-head. With a steady swipe, it cut through the strings. The images before Saori disappeared yet again and she found herself back on the path near several trees with Chichiri and Chiriko, who was slowly getting free from the remaining webbing.
"Hotohori, I'll distract it, you get it!" Tasuki shouted to the emperor. Hotohori quickly nodded as Tasuki ran like the wind to the front of the spider. As he did so he hit the spider's legs hard with his pure diamond fan, cutting them nearly through.
"SKAAAA!!!!!!" The spider screamed angrily, looking down at the bandit.
"Rekka, SHINEN!" Tasuki shouted, holding his open fan straight up. A wall of fire covered the path. Though the fire couldn't harm the insect, the bright light could still work as a distraction.
Hotohori leapt up onto the spider with his own agility, running to the middle of the monster. He raised his sword up powerfully, a red symbol flashing on his neck. With a quick charge, he pierced his sword deep into the heart of the arachnid, all of the blade disappearing within the spider's body.
"SKAAAA!!!!!" The spider cried, perhaps louder than ever before. It's front legs finally snapped and he fell head first into the dirt as Hotohori ripped his weapon out and leapt away, landing by Tasuki. The wound on the spiders back smoked a green color as the rest of its body collapsed to the ground, disappearing from sight.
Chiriko looked amazed as the remaining webbing from around his body vanished into steam. The webbing on the trees disappeared as well, revealing one standing horse, and one dead one.
More Author's notes: If you haven't figured out exactly what's happening by now, re-read the title. ^_^