Author's note: Yay! Another chapter up! This update didn't take nearly as
long as 64 did, and thank you to everyone who was patient with me! I had
to go to a friend's house just to post it because for some reason ffnet
hate my computer. I'm excited for you guys to read this chapter (though
I don't know why) and I can't wait to do the thing in 66... (which I've
started, oh yeah)
To Kittynyah: *cries tears of joy* That has to be one of the nicest reviews anyone has ever given me! I'm really glad you like it that much! This update is for you! ^_~
To MaryDfair: This is rated PG13, a.k.a. "author is too wimpy to write lemons." I'm sorry! Inami wouldn't have approved anyway :P Thanks for reviewing!
Well, that was all the reviews I got for this time, enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 65 : Controlling the Balance of Power
"I can't believe... it's gone..." Miaka must have said for the twentieth time since the group had entered the room. It had been two days since the unusual attack on the palace, and two days since Hotohori's death. Miaka, Tasuki, Chiriko, Saori, Chichiri, Tamahome, Yui, and Inami all waited in a room, waiting for the head magistrate to return with what he had to say. They must have been sitting there for half an hour.
When Chichiri had found the shinzaho missing, Miaka hadn't broken down into tears like everyone had expected, but that was merely because she didn't have any tears left. She had used the last of them on Hotohori, and could no longer summon any more. Instead she had been in a state of shock for some time, often getting to the point when she wasn't coherent to what was going on around her.
Also since the fight, the other members of the royal family, Boushin and Houki, hadn't been seen much. They were most likely taking the necessary time to grieve for a lost husband and father. It seemed, unlike he had promised months earlier, that Hotohori would not see the birth of his second child either. Now his coffin lay in the Suzaku shrine where Mitsukake's had been earlier.
Finally, the door opened and the red clad official stepped in. All eyes went to him, but no one said anything. The feeling in the room had grown too serious, and the only noise was the sound of the hinges resisting to be shut.
"We..." he cleared his throat a bit, "We have decided it is in Konan's best interest to keep the death of his Highness Saihitei a secret until this war has ended." He paused to see if anyone needed to say something, but after another moment of silence, he continued. "If our soldiers knew that their leader had passed, they may no longer of the hearted courage to continue fighting, and our country would be lost."
"Emperor Sanoii may however become aware of this, is that correct?" Inami finally spoke up.
The man nodded. "Yes, but only he. Though the war seems to be resting for the time being, it is far from over, and with the uprising chaos in the capitol, we must all be on our feet; ready."
The others nodded, and were excused.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So it's under wraps, huh?" The weak and quiet voice asked.
Miaka nodded from her chair beside the bed.
"They don't want to dishearten the soldiers." Tamahome finished, standing beside Miaka.
Nuriko coughed a bit and looked towards the ceiling, the emotions in his eyes hidden. "Hotohori-sama... I wish I could have... been there sooner..."
"Don't say things like that." Tasuki snapped from the corner of the room, where he stood with his arms across his chest. "They're lucky you got there when you did, or the empress Houki would have been gone too."
Nuriko made a slight hum that was almost in agreement.
"I say you're damn lucky you ain't in a wooden box too right now."
Nuriko shifted in his bed a bit, but found it painful and relaxed back into the mattress. After a moment, he spoke again. "I feel guilty for..." he swallowed and caught his breath, "for not grieving for him, but I have to try and not think about it if I want to pull through this."
The door to the room opened and Yui stepped in, and seeing that no one was in way of interruption, she announced what she had come for. "They said if you rest and be careful, you'd recover."
A sigh of relief escaped Miaka, and she smiled at her ill friend.
"I think if this had happened to any one else they would have died days ago." Tamahome added. "Maybe Suzaku finally wants to grant us some mercy."
Nuriko smiled faintly, but didn't say anything. Instead he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
***************************
The crystalline water poured beautifully in a silent fall from the stones lining the sacred room, the liquid merging into the pool that took up a large portion of the shrine. No one spoke, they only waited. They waited to complete the ceremony that had been planned for so long.
Suboshi stood near Amiboshi, of course, and while Amiboshi stood solemnly with his hands resting on his belt, Suboshi had his arms folded and leaned against a blue wall. However, their expressions were the same. This was the first summoning Amiboshi had been able to attend, and despite Suboshi's explanations, he didn't know what to expect.
Soi and Nakago waited a little ways off. Soi was dressed in a simple robe, outside of her armor. Her hair was let down and her gaze was fixated on something not there, her hands together in front of her. Nakago, like always, stood tall and straight, patiently awaiting the arrival of his priestess.
The finally, the doors to the shrine opened.
The sudden sunlight into the room blinded the four warriors a bit, but the silhouette of two guards and their priestess could be made out. Mayo stepped into the room, and the large doors shut behind her. The calm blue aura of the shrine returned.
Mayo was dressed fully like a priestess, and her manner seemed that she was ready to finally summon Seiryu. Her white shirt was unattached to her shoulders, and it wrapped around her breasts and dropped along her sides, leaving her stomach bare. She had two thick gold rings that embraced the middle of both upper arms, and a long bell sleeve bellowed from them, the fabric lining the underside of them a pale, shell pink. Around her hips was a gold waistband that dipped in the center, a curved piece of fabric falling from it, followed by a wider skirt that covered the rest of her legs. It was finished by a light rose-colored necklace made of shell and a blue stone that hung from a thin chain around her forehead.
This, was the priestess of Seiryu.
After a moment, Mayo brought her hands together in front of her and began walking into the large room, stopping when she met up with her warriors. Nakago leaned down and began whispering to her, so she didn't notice Suboshi's bewildered stares at her. Finally, when Nakago pulled back, Mayo's eyes fixed on the pool ahead of her, and she again walked forward, slowly and reverently.
Mayo keeps moving forward as her bare toes first touch the cool water, and as it comes over her ankles and up her calves, her skirt floats upon it until the absorbed water grows heavy and the linens again rest upon her. The pool is shallow, and when Mayo stops at the center of it, the water only reaches her knees. On either side of her large stone dragons guard the left and right sides of the pool. The one of the left held a valiant shell in its mouth, the other held a golden harp.
It was silent again, only the sound of the falling water could be heard. All of the remaining Seiryu warriors stood in the back now, unmoving. Their life forces were dropping, as it was commanded to do so in the summoning of a beast god. However, Mayo got all four warriors attention when she began to speak, her voice echoing off the confined walls of the shrine.
"The four palaces of the heavens, the four corners of the earth." Her voice called out. "In the name of sacred law, belief, and goodness, I summon thee, Seiryu, lord of the east. I now say these words to thee. Appear on earth from the seven palaces of heaven for the sake of those who adore you. Come to us here. With they holy power, smash the evil with threatens us." Mayo's violet eyes darted towards the ceiling. "Save us! And hear our wishes to thee! Descend to us now from heaven!"
The shinzahos began to glow brightly, and their light shot forth and reflected off invisible walls around the pool. The water around Mayo began to ripple, the wave and slash about as if a storm was overhead. All the liquid together then began swirling around her, rising up above her head like a tornado, concealing her from all view. A brilliant blue light appeared at the top, the light so immense that none of the warriors could stand to look anymore.
Mayo used her sleeve to conceal her face as the bright light filled the room, and her skirts flew violently around her from within the cage of spinning water.
"Priestess, look upon me." A low voice spoke.
Mayo's eyes shot open, and slowly she lowered her sleeve, and gasped. Before her was a tall man dressed in armor, his skin glowing blue and a beard hanging from his chin. This... this was Seiryu Sei-kun.
"Seiryu-sama?" Mayo asked in a whisper.
The god nodded his head. "Priestess, you have summoned me here, and now I will couple with you and grant you three wishes. To call upon my power, you must simply say the words "Kai jin", and name your wish." Seiryu's hand extended out to Mayo, and after only a few seconds of hesitation, Mayo's smaller hand met his, and the touch exploded with new light.
The whirlpool grew and shone with white brilliance, and Mayo's scream could just barely be heard over it.
"Mayo-sama!" Amiboshi called out, though the wind of the churning water would not allow him to move forward.
However, it wasn't long before it was all over. The water and light died down back into the pool, waves in the shallow pond moving back and forth. The warriors went forward as Mayo slowly walked from the pool, back the way she came. As her foot stepped upon the dry ground and she lifted herself from the summoning grounds, not a single inch of her was wet.
"Mayo-sama?" Suboshi asked at the girl's blank expression. After calling her name, Mayo did look up, but not at him.
"Kai jin!" She shouted. Instantly a blue symbol of Seiryu appeared on her forehead. All the warriors stepped back, except for Nakago, who smirked calmly.
"My first wish...." Mayo said, "Is to seal Suzaku away, forever!"
A pillar of light shot up from Mayo and through the shrine ceiling, and after that, the symbol on Mayo's forehead disappeared. As soon as it did, Mayo winced painfully and grabbed the front of her shirt, falling forward. Amiboshi stepped up and caught her. She was out cold.
Amiboshi put and arm under her legs so that he could lift her more easily, and Nakago came and took her from him. No one said anything, for none of them knew what to say.
Finally, it was finished.
****************************
"Get better, okay?" Miaka said as she stood up from the chair, the others waiting at the door for her.
"I will, Miaka." Nuriko said, watching his priestess move towards the door.
"We'll be back." Tamahome assured, pulling the door open for Miaka. As he did so though, a sudden wave of fatigue washed over him, and he froze.
Miaka turned. "Tamahome? What's wrong?"
"Tasuki?" Inami asked, seeing that the bandit had done the same.
"I... I...." Tamahome tried to say, getting concerned looks from Miaka and Yui.
"I... I can't feel my powers any more...." Tasuki said, looking at his hand.
"What?!" Inami asked, looking over to Tamahome. "Suzaku?" She asked.
Miaka and Yui both gasped. Of course... with the shinzaho gone, Mayo must have summoned Seiryu and...
Suddenly a sharp, painful inhale got the others' attention.
"Nuriko!" Tasuki shouted, quickly going to his side.
Nuriko's eyes were shut tight and a sweat began to break out over his face. His teeth were clenched together in pain and his back arched up, his shoulders shaking.
"Get a doctor!" Inami yelled. "Hurry!"
Yui ran from the room and down the hallway, and after some hesitation from watching Nuriko, Miaka finally left and took off the opposite direction.
"What the hell is wrong with him?!" Tasuki shouted, trying to control his friend's violent movements.
"Tamahome, can you feel your powers?" Inami quickly questioned.
Tamahome shook his head. "They're gone."
Inami looked back at Nuriko. "The only reason he's survived this long is because he's stronger than a normal man... but now..."
"Now his body can't handle it..." Tasuki finished. His eyes grew angry and he cursed loudly. "Hurry! We need a doctor!"
Inami turned around and ran out into the hall as well. They had to get a doctor... they had to get the other seishi...
*********************
"DAMNIT!" Keisuke shouted, throwing the book down on the floor and falling back on his bed. It was Sunday, so he and Tetsuya both didn't have to be anywhere that day. Tetsuya was coming over with Hikari later... but as to how much later, Keisuke wasn't sure.
"Keisuke?! What happened?" His mother knocked on his door.
"Oh crap..." Keisuke sat up. "Sorry mom, I just... hit my toe on the dresser...."
"Oh... well, try to control your temper then, dear."
"Sorry mom."
After he could hear his mother's footsteps leave his door, Keisuke leaned over the bed and picked up the book he had just chucked to the floor. He brought it back up to him and scrambled to find his place.
"What the hell is Miaka going to do now?" Keisuke grumbled. "And Yui, Saori? How will they get back? Oh man Tetsuya, get over here all ready... I gotta tell someone...."
***********************
After the sun had set that night, the others were finally let in to see Nuriko. Houki sat on his bed beside him, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. Nuriko was still unconscious, and his breathing sounded heavy and restricted. He had a wet cloth laid across his forehead, and part of his bandaging could be seen from the positioning of his blankets. Along with Houki was Chichiri, who stood at the head of the bed with his staff. They had been the only two previously allowed into the room.
"Nuriko..." Miaka whispered, tears brimming on her eyes as she stepped in.
Tamahome followed her along with Yui and Saori. Saori put a hand over her mouth when she saw Nuriko's condition. Chiriko, Tasuki, and Inami were behind them, but they stayed closer to the doorway so the room wouldn't become crowded.
When the doctor was finished putting away his things, he looked over to Chichiri. After a minute, Chichiri nodded to him. The doctor snapped his case shut, and a sob escaped Houki's lips.
"You friend, Nuriko..." The doctor stood and looked at them with a stern and serious look on his face. "I'm sorry. The poison in his system can't be countered, and we can't get it out. That... along with his injuries... he won't make it. He's strong, so I believe he'll pull through the night, but..."
"What... what do you mean?" Miaka interrupted, stepping forward and grabbing the doctor's sleeve as everyone stood in shock. "Nuriko... Nuriko will make it! He won't let this kill him, he won't...
The doctor pulled his sleeve away. "It would take more than a miracle to save him now." He bowed to her slightly. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."
Tasuki wanted to oppose to, anyone with half a mind would be able to tell from the expression on his face, but he managed to keep quiet as the doctor passed by him.
Chichiri placed his hand on Nuriko's forehead. "Even I can't do anything to save him now, no da."
Chiriko looked like he was searching his mind for an answer, but he couldn't find any.
"And all we can do is stand here and watch." Tasuki said coldly, folding his arms. "We don't have the strength to save him, even after all he's done to us."
Miaka turned around and buried her face into Tamahome's chest, crying." Tamahome embraced her, trying to hold back the tears himself.
"Why, why does it have to be this way?" Saori asked, approaching Houki and Chichiri to look at Nuriko, a tear falling down her cheek. "Mitsukake... Hotohori... how many people do we have to lose before this is over?! What's the point of being here if this is the most we can do?!" Saori began to cry, and she sunk down to her knees, covering her face with her arms as she leaned against the bed. "It's.... It's not fair..."
~
A long while later, everyone took their turns saying good night to Nuriko. He should pull through the night, but they didn't know for sure. In the hours they had spent in there with him was part of their grievance, though the final tide wouldn't hit them until Nuriko was finally, and really, gone. Miaka was the last to leave, the others waiting in the hall way for her. By the time she went, Nuriko looked as if he were only sleeping, as if he'd be up early the next morning, the same goofy grin on his face, the same sarcastic demeanor in his voice. But now, he was only silent, still, his body weak, his skin moist... if Miaka could have had her three wishes then, she would have used all of them to save Nuriko. He was one of her best friends.
Miaka came out of the dark room quietly, the door being shut behind her by Chichiri. No one spoke, but all left down the hall to their own rooms, one by one, all of them forcing themselves away from the door.
Even in the late hours of the night, everyone knew they wouldn't get any sleep as they lay in their beds, depression on their minds.
It was, surprisingly, Inami who stayed the longest at that door. She watched it as though in deep thought about it, like something about that entrance weighed down on her mind. But eventually, she too turned away, down the cold corridors of the palace.
********************
Mayo's heavy eyelids opened, and she blinked a few times to see where she was. She was on her bed in her room, dressed in her night robe. There was a dim light coming from the lantern beside her, and she turned to see Nakago at her bedside.
"Nakago?" Her weak voice asked. It was obviously still night by the darkness of the room. "What... what happened?"
"All that was expected." Nakago's monotone voice answered. "Seiryu has been summoned, and Suzaku has been sealed, just as we planned. We will attack our southern neighbors again tomorrow."
Mayo watched Nakago tiredly, but her eyes closed again and sleep over took her. Too much of her energy had been spent that day.
Nakago stayed at her side a moment longer, then he took the lantern with him, and left.
************************
It was only the dark, early hours of the morning when the door to the room where Suzaku's brave warrior slept was opened, a dim lantern entering in first before the holder followed. The light crossed the small room and eventually rested on the small table near the bed, the orange glow resting partially on Nuriko's sleeping face. The other person present carefully and quietly sat on the bed beside him, pulling the ends of the covers back until his hand was revealed. The person took his hand firmly between both of theirs, and a second light entered the room, a green light formed into the kanji of "ox."
The essence of that light seemed to linger between Inami's hands and on Nuriko's, and dim traces of it could be seen tracing up Nuriko's arms like veins. Inami watched Nuriko quietly, holding her grip on his steady.
It was only a moment later that Nuriko's eyes opened just enough to see, though the only thing visible was the green symbol above him and the few features around it that it illuminated.
"Ina...mi?" His whisper was barely audible.
"It's all right, Nuriko." Inami whispered back. "I'm not going to let you die."
Nuriko was too weak to respond, and he went back into his sleep. He was dying because he no longer had the life force to keep up the fight against the poison racking his body. So Inami, the only celestial warrior in Konan not affected by the sealing of the fire god, would give him hers.
To Kittynyah: *cries tears of joy* That has to be one of the nicest reviews anyone has ever given me! I'm really glad you like it that much! This update is for you! ^_~
To MaryDfair: This is rated PG13, a.k.a. "author is too wimpy to write lemons." I'm sorry! Inami wouldn't have approved anyway :P Thanks for reviewing!
Well, that was all the reviews I got for this time, enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 65 : Controlling the Balance of Power
"I can't believe... it's gone..." Miaka must have said for the twentieth time since the group had entered the room. It had been two days since the unusual attack on the palace, and two days since Hotohori's death. Miaka, Tasuki, Chiriko, Saori, Chichiri, Tamahome, Yui, and Inami all waited in a room, waiting for the head magistrate to return with what he had to say. They must have been sitting there for half an hour.
When Chichiri had found the shinzaho missing, Miaka hadn't broken down into tears like everyone had expected, but that was merely because she didn't have any tears left. She had used the last of them on Hotohori, and could no longer summon any more. Instead she had been in a state of shock for some time, often getting to the point when she wasn't coherent to what was going on around her.
Also since the fight, the other members of the royal family, Boushin and Houki, hadn't been seen much. They were most likely taking the necessary time to grieve for a lost husband and father. It seemed, unlike he had promised months earlier, that Hotohori would not see the birth of his second child either. Now his coffin lay in the Suzaku shrine where Mitsukake's had been earlier.
Finally, the door opened and the red clad official stepped in. All eyes went to him, but no one said anything. The feeling in the room had grown too serious, and the only noise was the sound of the hinges resisting to be shut.
"We..." he cleared his throat a bit, "We have decided it is in Konan's best interest to keep the death of his Highness Saihitei a secret until this war has ended." He paused to see if anyone needed to say something, but after another moment of silence, he continued. "If our soldiers knew that their leader had passed, they may no longer of the hearted courage to continue fighting, and our country would be lost."
"Emperor Sanoii may however become aware of this, is that correct?" Inami finally spoke up.
The man nodded. "Yes, but only he. Though the war seems to be resting for the time being, it is far from over, and with the uprising chaos in the capitol, we must all be on our feet; ready."
The others nodded, and were excused.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So it's under wraps, huh?" The weak and quiet voice asked.
Miaka nodded from her chair beside the bed.
"They don't want to dishearten the soldiers." Tamahome finished, standing beside Miaka.
Nuriko coughed a bit and looked towards the ceiling, the emotions in his eyes hidden. "Hotohori-sama... I wish I could have... been there sooner..."
"Don't say things like that." Tasuki snapped from the corner of the room, where he stood with his arms across his chest. "They're lucky you got there when you did, or the empress Houki would have been gone too."
Nuriko made a slight hum that was almost in agreement.
"I say you're damn lucky you ain't in a wooden box too right now."
Nuriko shifted in his bed a bit, but found it painful and relaxed back into the mattress. After a moment, he spoke again. "I feel guilty for..." he swallowed and caught his breath, "for not grieving for him, but I have to try and not think about it if I want to pull through this."
The door to the room opened and Yui stepped in, and seeing that no one was in way of interruption, she announced what she had come for. "They said if you rest and be careful, you'd recover."
A sigh of relief escaped Miaka, and she smiled at her ill friend.
"I think if this had happened to any one else they would have died days ago." Tamahome added. "Maybe Suzaku finally wants to grant us some mercy."
Nuriko smiled faintly, but didn't say anything. Instead he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
***************************
The crystalline water poured beautifully in a silent fall from the stones lining the sacred room, the liquid merging into the pool that took up a large portion of the shrine. No one spoke, they only waited. They waited to complete the ceremony that had been planned for so long.
Suboshi stood near Amiboshi, of course, and while Amiboshi stood solemnly with his hands resting on his belt, Suboshi had his arms folded and leaned against a blue wall. However, their expressions were the same. This was the first summoning Amiboshi had been able to attend, and despite Suboshi's explanations, he didn't know what to expect.
Soi and Nakago waited a little ways off. Soi was dressed in a simple robe, outside of her armor. Her hair was let down and her gaze was fixated on something not there, her hands together in front of her. Nakago, like always, stood tall and straight, patiently awaiting the arrival of his priestess.
The finally, the doors to the shrine opened.
The sudden sunlight into the room blinded the four warriors a bit, but the silhouette of two guards and their priestess could be made out. Mayo stepped into the room, and the large doors shut behind her. The calm blue aura of the shrine returned.
Mayo was dressed fully like a priestess, and her manner seemed that she was ready to finally summon Seiryu. Her white shirt was unattached to her shoulders, and it wrapped around her breasts and dropped along her sides, leaving her stomach bare. She had two thick gold rings that embraced the middle of both upper arms, and a long bell sleeve bellowed from them, the fabric lining the underside of them a pale, shell pink. Around her hips was a gold waistband that dipped in the center, a curved piece of fabric falling from it, followed by a wider skirt that covered the rest of her legs. It was finished by a light rose-colored necklace made of shell and a blue stone that hung from a thin chain around her forehead.
This, was the priestess of Seiryu.
After a moment, Mayo brought her hands together in front of her and began walking into the large room, stopping when she met up with her warriors. Nakago leaned down and began whispering to her, so she didn't notice Suboshi's bewildered stares at her. Finally, when Nakago pulled back, Mayo's eyes fixed on the pool ahead of her, and she again walked forward, slowly and reverently.
Mayo keeps moving forward as her bare toes first touch the cool water, and as it comes over her ankles and up her calves, her skirt floats upon it until the absorbed water grows heavy and the linens again rest upon her. The pool is shallow, and when Mayo stops at the center of it, the water only reaches her knees. On either side of her large stone dragons guard the left and right sides of the pool. The one of the left held a valiant shell in its mouth, the other held a golden harp.
It was silent again, only the sound of the falling water could be heard. All of the remaining Seiryu warriors stood in the back now, unmoving. Their life forces were dropping, as it was commanded to do so in the summoning of a beast god. However, Mayo got all four warriors attention when she began to speak, her voice echoing off the confined walls of the shrine.
"The four palaces of the heavens, the four corners of the earth." Her voice called out. "In the name of sacred law, belief, and goodness, I summon thee, Seiryu, lord of the east. I now say these words to thee. Appear on earth from the seven palaces of heaven for the sake of those who adore you. Come to us here. With they holy power, smash the evil with threatens us." Mayo's violet eyes darted towards the ceiling. "Save us! And hear our wishes to thee! Descend to us now from heaven!"
The shinzahos began to glow brightly, and their light shot forth and reflected off invisible walls around the pool. The water around Mayo began to ripple, the wave and slash about as if a storm was overhead. All the liquid together then began swirling around her, rising up above her head like a tornado, concealing her from all view. A brilliant blue light appeared at the top, the light so immense that none of the warriors could stand to look anymore.
Mayo used her sleeve to conceal her face as the bright light filled the room, and her skirts flew violently around her from within the cage of spinning water.
"Priestess, look upon me." A low voice spoke.
Mayo's eyes shot open, and slowly she lowered her sleeve, and gasped. Before her was a tall man dressed in armor, his skin glowing blue and a beard hanging from his chin. This... this was Seiryu Sei-kun.
"Seiryu-sama?" Mayo asked in a whisper.
The god nodded his head. "Priestess, you have summoned me here, and now I will couple with you and grant you three wishes. To call upon my power, you must simply say the words "Kai jin", and name your wish." Seiryu's hand extended out to Mayo, and after only a few seconds of hesitation, Mayo's smaller hand met his, and the touch exploded with new light.
The whirlpool grew and shone with white brilliance, and Mayo's scream could just barely be heard over it.
"Mayo-sama!" Amiboshi called out, though the wind of the churning water would not allow him to move forward.
However, it wasn't long before it was all over. The water and light died down back into the pool, waves in the shallow pond moving back and forth. The warriors went forward as Mayo slowly walked from the pool, back the way she came. As her foot stepped upon the dry ground and she lifted herself from the summoning grounds, not a single inch of her was wet.
"Mayo-sama?" Suboshi asked at the girl's blank expression. After calling her name, Mayo did look up, but not at him.
"Kai jin!" She shouted. Instantly a blue symbol of Seiryu appeared on her forehead. All the warriors stepped back, except for Nakago, who smirked calmly.
"My first wish...." Mayo said, "Is to seal Suzaku away, forever!"
A pillar of light shot up from Mayo and through the shrine ceiling, and after that, the symbol on Mayo's forehead disappeared. As soon as it did, Mayo winced painfully and grabbed the front of her shirt, falling forward. Amiboshi stepped up and caught her. She was out cold.
Amiboshi put and arm under her legs so that he could lift her more easily, and Nakago came and took her from him. No one said anything, for none of them knew what to say.
Finally, it was finished.
****************************
"Get better, okay?" Miaka said as she stood up from the chair, the others waiting at the door for her.
"I will, Miaka." Nuriko said, watching his priestess move towards the door.
"We'll be back." Tamahome assured, pulling the door open for Miaka. As he did so though, a sudden wave of fatigue washed over him, and he froze.
Miaka turned. "Tamahome? What's wrong?"
"Tasuki?" Inami asked, seeing that the bandit had done the same.
"I... I...." Tamahome tried to say, getting concerned looks from Miaka and Yui.
"I... I can't feel my powers any more...." Tasuki said, looking at his hand.
"What?!" Inami asked, looking over to Tamahome. "Suzaku?" She asked.
Miaka and Yui both gasped. Of course... with the shinzaho gone, Mayo must have summoned Seiryu and...
Suddenly a sharp, painful inhale got the others' attention.
"Nuriko!" Tasuki shouted, quickly going to his side.
Nuriko's eyes were shut tight and a sweat began to break out over his face. His teeth were clenched together in pain and his back arched up, his shoulders shaking.
"Get a doctor!" Inami yelled. "Hurry!"
Yui ran from the room and down the hallway, and after some hesitation from watching Nuriko, Miaka finally left and took off the opposite direction.
"What the hell is wrong with him?!" Tasuki shouted, trying to control his friend's violent movements.
"Tamahome, can you feel your powers?" Inami quickly questioned.
Tamahome shook his head. "They're gone."
Inami looked back at Nuriko. "The only reason he's survived this long is because he's stronger than a normal man... but now..."
"Now his body can't handle it..." Tasuki finished. His eyes grew angry and he cursed loudly. "Hurry! We need a doctor!"
Inami turned around and ran out into the hall as well. They had to get a doctor... they had to get the other seishi...
*********************
"DAMNIT!" Keisuke shouted, throwing the book down on the floor and falling back on his bed. It was Sunday, so he and Tetsuya both didn't have to be anywhere that day. Tetsuya was coming over with Hikari later... but as to how much later, Keisuke wasn't sure.
"Keisuke?! What happened?" His mother knocked on his door.
"Oh crap..." Keisuke sat up. "Sorry mom, I just... hit my toe on the dresser...."
"Oh... well, try to control your temper then, dear."
"Sorry mom."
After he could hear his mother's footsteps leave his door, Keisuke leaned over the bed and picked up the book he had just chucked to the floor. He brought it back up to him and scrambled to find his place.
"What the hell is Miaka going to do now?" Keisuke grumbled. "And Yui, Saori? How will they get back? Oh man Tetsuya, get over here all ready... I gotta tell someone...."
***********************
After the sun had set that night, the others were finally let in to see Nuriko. Houki sat on his bed beside him, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. Nuriko was still unconscious, and his breathing sounded heavy and restricted. He had a wet cloth laid across his forehead, and part of his bandaging could be seen from the positioning of his blankets. Along with Houki was Chichiri, who stood at the head of the bed with his staff. They had been the only two previously allowed into the room.
"Nuriko..." Miaka whispered, tears brimming on her eyes as she stepped in.
Tamahome followed her along with Yui and Saori. Saori put a hand over her mouth when she saw Nuriko's condition. Chiriko, Tasuki, and Inami were behind them, but they stayed closer to the doorway so the room wouldn't become crowded.
When the doctor was finished putting away his things, he looked over to Chichiri. After a minute, Chichiri nodded to him. The doctor snapped his case shut, and a sob escaped Houki's lips.
"You friend, Nuriko..." The doctor stood and looked at them with a stern and serious look on his face. "I'm sorry. The poison in his system can't be countered, and we can't get it out. That... along with his injuries... he won't make it. He's strong, so I believe he'll pull through the night, but..."
"What... what do you mean?" Miaka interrupted, stepping forward and grabbing the doctor's sleeve as everyone stood in shock. "Nuriko... Nuriko will make it! He won't let this kill him, he won't...
The doctor pulled his sleeve away. "It would take more than a miracle to save him now." He bowed to her slightly. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."
Tasuki wanted to oppose to, anyone with half a mind would be able to tell from the expression on his face, but he managed to keep quiet as the doctor passed by him.
Chichiri placed his hand on Nuriko's forehead. "Even I can't do anything to save him now, no da."
Chiriko looked like he was searching his mind for an answer, but he couldn't find any.
"And all we can do is stand here and watch." Tasuki said coldly, folding his arms. "We don't have the strength to save him, even after all he's done to us."
Miaka turned around and buried her face into Tamahome's chest, crying." Tamahome embraced her, trying to hold back the tears himself.
"Why, why does it have to be this way?" Saori asked, approaching Houki and Chichiri to look at Nuriko, a tear falling down her cheek. "Mitsukake... Hotohori... how many people do we have to lose before this is over?! What's the point of being here if this is the most we can do?!" Saori began to cry, and she sunk down to her knees, covering her face with her arms as she leaned against the bed. "It's.... It's not fair..."
~
A long while later, everyone took their turns saying good night to Nuriko. He should pull through the night, but they didn't know for sure. In the hours they had spent in there with him was part of their grievance, though the final tide wouldn't hit them until Nuriko was finally, and really, gone. Miaka was the last to leave, the others waiting in the hall way for her. By the time she went, Nuriko looked as if he were only sleeping, as if he'd be up early the next morning, the same goofy grin on his face, the same sarcastic demeanor in his voice. But now, he was only silent, still, his body weak, his skin moist... if Miaka could have had her three wishes then, she would have used all of them to save Nuriko. He was one of her best friends.
Miaka came out of the dark room quietly, the door being shut behind her by Chichiri. No one spoke, but all left down the hall to their own rooms, one by one, all of them forcing themselves away from the door.
Even in the late hours of the night, everyone knew they wouldn't get any sleep as they lay in their beds, depression on their minds.
It was, surprisingly, Inami who stayed the longest at that door. She watched it as though in deep thought about it, like something about that entrance weighed down on her mind. But eventually, she too turned away, down the cold corridors of the palace.
********************
Mayo's heavy eyelids opened, and she blinked a few times to see where she was. She was on her bed in her room, dressed in her night robe. There was a dim light coming from the lantern beside her, and she turned to see Nakago at her bedside.
"Nakago?" Her weak voice asked. It was obviously still night by the darkness of the room. "What... what happened?"
"All that was expected." Nakago's monotone voice answered. "Seiryu has been summoned, and Suzaku has been sealed, just as we planned. We will attack our southern neighbors again tomorrow."
Mayo watched Nakago tiredly, but her eyes closed again and sleep over took her. Too much of her energy had been spent that day.
Nakago stayed at her side a moment longer, then he took the lantern with him, and left.
************************
It was only the dark, early hours of the morning when the door to the room where Suzaku's brave warrior slept was opened, a dim lantern entering in first before the holder followed. The light crossed the small room and eventually rested on the small table near the bed, the orange glow resting partially on Nuriko's sleeping face. The other person present carefully and quietly sat on the bed beside him, pulling the ends of the covers back until his hand was revealed. The person took his hand firmly between both of theirs, and a second light entered the room, a green light formed into the kanji of "ox."
The essence of that light seemed to linger between Inami's hands and on Nuriko's, and dim traces of it could be seen tracing up Nuriko's arms like veins. Inami watched Nuriko quietly, holding her grip on his steady.
It was only a moment later that Nuriko's eyes opened just enough to see, though the only thing visible was the green symbol above him and the few features around it that it illuminated.
"Ina...mi?" His whisper was barely audible.
"It's all right, Nuriko." Inami whispered back. "I'm not going to let you die."
Nuriko was too weak to respond, and he went back into his sleep. He was dying because he no longer had the life force to keep up the fight against the poison racking his body. So Inami, the only celestial warrior in Konan not affected by the sealing of the fire god, would give him hers.