Chapter Four: Another Lead
By Sha / #29 (Wednesday, May 18, 2005)
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It had been a long week since Hiei had left the feline village... and right now, he had ended up in another forest... not a menacing one, but one that filled the air with and gave off emotions of sorrow and loneliness; which Hiei noticed greatly...
He had been in here for two days now, and hadn't found the other end of it yet... by now, he perfectly knew this was a very huge forest... but he was going to go through here no matter what it took...
He originally came across here from the blind chase on his sister and her kidnappers, who would appear, then lure him to a deadend... they always got away through that darned black vortex...
Hiei had began to become suspicious of why they played this game with him, and noticed they didn't seem to have injured Yukina yet... but he just played along, and would until he could somehow save her.
Maybe they were leading him to their master? and was just using her as the bait to make him go there... Hiei didn't know, but was still as furious as ever...
Hiei sighed, and stopped to sit down on a large, tilted stone, next to a pool of spring water... The stone felt cool to the touch, as did the water... it was actually very cool, yet not nearly chilly, but not warm either...
He wondered why it wasn't ever daytime?
But that could be because of the large towering trees... yet he could perfectly see the silver moon, and the stars in the nightsky... they reflected and sparkled on the pool in a way that made Hiei relax as he watched them.
Hiei was slightly startled when a pure snow white wolf cub came up to the water, and began to drink it, without even being afraid of Hiei... or perhaps he didn't even notice Hiei at all?...
Hiei smiled as it was called back into the trees by his mother's call, and the little wolf pup ran off eagerly, giving one cry back.
He wondered what it would be like if he was like that little pup... innocent, happy and carefree? He sighed, and shook his head, shaking away the silly thought.
Hiei's smile faded as he rested back against the rock, staring up into the sky, where the stars shined brightly then he had ever seen, and the moon seemed to look down upon him.
'How could I let this all happen? ...Then again, there wasn't a way to stop it... If I hadn't been there that night... Yet I still feel this was a setup... I just know it...' Hiei sighed again, wishing that this didn't happen, and that he could somehow just end it already, and save Yukina...
"Yukina... please, I pray you're safe, sister..." He closed his eyes, and focused his enegry on his Jagan, trying to see his sister again... but was greeted by terrifying images of her struggling, and trying to scream, but was muffled through that blank white mask; as the monsters held her down, and began to cut into the flesh on her arms with thick bladed daggers...
She screamed louder and was shaking with pain; as tears of ice fell all around her; and the blood began to flow freely from her pale arms, soaking her kimono; while beginning to create a small pool upon the stone floor...
Hiei stood up, angered; pinpointing the location to be to the south, and took off as fast as he could... He easily avoided hitting anything, as the trees were evergreens, and not as pesky as normal wood trees... All the animals he sped by were very startled, but that didn't matter to Hiei; all that mattered to him was getting there as soon as possible... before they had the chance to kill her...
He finally came across to stop in front of a large riverbank of dark water; right below this tall, towering, menacing dark castle, with it's drawbridge up... He knew this was it, and he had to get in.
Hiei gasped, and clutched his fists tightly together as he heard a young female scream echo from inside the castle. He growled as he thought of the horrible things that could be happening to her at this every moment; and readied his sword, becoming very alert.
He had quickly learned that every time he chased, and came close, he was always attacked, but this time he would be ready...
For a long moment of silence; Hiei became more suspicious, and looked around... but nothing happened; until, with a loud thud that made him jump; the drawbridge fell down, revealing the halls of the inside...
From what he could see; the carpets were red; there were torches on the walls, and the stone walls were covered in vines and poisonious looking plants.
Hiei waited for a few more seconds, before walking cautiously across, into the castle; where he jumped again, startled from the drawbridge closing up behind him... Every little sound was making him twitch; he was so nervous and worried, but was ready if he were attacked.
Now, he knew that Yukina must be in here somewhere... he felt that it was up... perhaps even the hightest tower; there had been quite a few towers, he had noted.
He strained his eyes and ears for anyone and any sound, but that was only the crackling of the torches, and their dancing shadows...
He took a deep breath, and continued forward; holding a hand on the handle of his sword, ready to withdraw it; but after a while, he made it to a giant room.
White stone statues stood along the wall, each divided by portaits of different eras; demons and humans were in them; violence and hate were shown through these drawings; and the statues seem to stare at Hiei with life; giving off emotions of hate; sorrow; and despair.
Hiei shrugged it off, but kept an eye on them anyway; he never knew... they just might attack him...
He then walked forward into the middle, right under the chandelier... white candles upon the golden handles, the entire thing was golden, with gold chains holding it into the ceiling, with white crystals dangling from beneath...
The ceiling had paintings on it, with golden beams all leading to where the chandelier was... the paintings also showed pain, and were similar to the portaits around him...
He noticed that every pair of eyes, on the paintings and the statues seem to stare right into him... he tried shrugging it off and ignoring it, but it was overwelming...
The red carpet went two ways, both leading up stairways, either way led to two fancy, wooden doors which were side-by-side... underneath that, was an archway, with two standing candle holders, leading to another fancy, and polished wooden door.
"Okay, let's see..." Hiei removed his headband to use his Jagan...
He saw his sister laying on a large, white bed that looked very uncomfortable; he wasn't sure if she was asleep or not; because of that darned white mask... her arms were tucked behind her back, and she was laying on them... he figured they chained her, and that made him more furious...
He definitely felt that she was upstairs somewhere...
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To Be Continued...
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