Of Magic and Men
Prologue
Fifty years ago, there lived a half-breed sorcerer. He was a wise and kind man, and turned away nary a person who came to him for help. He was a powerful sorcerer, but used his knowledge only for the welfare of the people around him.
He had plenty of servants, and insisted on paying them, but…so attached to the man and his gentle, polite nature, they refused any payment he offered. Serving such a wonderful man was payment enough, they told him.
He helped whoever asked, and had you trouble with anything, you could go to him. Lost your favorite toy? He would help. Even if your favorite stuffed animal had been torn, he would help. No matter how small, he would help. He lived to help, he told them.
But some humans felt he would someday realize how much power he wielded, and use it against them. They organized a party, and stormed into his castle, ready to kill him. The leader had caught him unawares, and injured him. Unwilling to have any servants harmed, the sorcerer fled to the forest. There, the humans cornered him, and the sorcerer made a vow, the first in his life to have any hint of malice in it.
He swore that someday, be it near or be it far, his spirit would return to strike down the leader. That he would never escape, and that some day…it would happen, whether he expected it or not.
Not caring a wit for the vow, the human struck down the sorcerer, though within time, he would learn to regret his actions that day, all those years ago. That day…may come sooner than he hopes.
The group continued along through the forest. Gojyo grumbled. "Why do we have to walk?"
"Jeep doesn't want to drive through this forest." Hakkai replied. "I wonder why…" The forest seemed quite normal; the trees were green and healthy, the sky was light blue with fluffy white clouds overhead. A perfect day…why didn't he want to drive?
Grudgingly, Gojyo shut his mouth, and decided instead to look around as they walked to see if there was anything interesting. As they walked, he saw a cave; a dim red light emanated from the cave, and he wandered over towards it.
"Gojyo?" Hakkai glanced over at the half-breed who was wandering off. "Gojyo, where are you going?" There was no answering.
Gojyo stepped inside the cave, and something clinked behind him. "Hm?" He turned around; there was only darkness. The only way to go was forward. As he stepped forward, the glow grew brighter. And then, the voice started.
Do you hear me…? Gojyo shook his head. "This darkness must be messing with my head more than I thought." He was almost to the source of the light. You hear me…please find me. Gojyo scratched his head and kept walking. You're almost there…
Gojyo found himself in a large room; the room was empty save for a stone alter at the front of the room. The wall behind it was blood red and covered in runes; Gojyo hadn't a clue what they said, but on the wall also was depicted a red-haired young man in a red robe next to a tree, pointing to a human with a sword and a rather crazy look on his face. Underneath it, more runes, and a picture of the sword impaling the young man, pinning him to the tree. Underneath that, more runes, and a picture of a red stone on a string. Gojyo squinted. What the hell did that all mean?
Take it… The voice hissed. On the alter was a blood-red stone, with similar runes as on the wall behind it, a silver string strung through it. The voice grew louder, urging him to take it. Gojyo's hand closed on the stone and the voice just disappeared. It cut off in mid-sentence, even. As if moving on their own, his hands put the stone around his neck. The stone glimmered, as if satisfied, then…Gojyo blinked and he was standing in front of the others.
"Gojyo?" Hakkai gasped. Goku fell over, surprised. Sanzo cursed under his breath. "How…how did you get there? And…what's that stone?"
"I don't know, Hakkai. I honestly don't know."