Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Hey! Here's the next chapter for the story - a little cliffie at the end, but don't worry! Lots of things get cleared up soon, so you won't have to sweat it. Thanks to all who've reviewed so far!

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.

"Where the hell were ya?" Tasuki demanded that night, as Chichiri arrived at the palace looking out of breath and disheveled.

"The aura around the palace blocked my power," he panted, leaning on his staff. "I could only teleport outside the city – I had to run the entire way. What happened?"

"I see…" Chichiri mused, having recovered as Tasuki relayed the events that had occurred. "And where is Kae now?"

"She's in her room – they gave her something to help her sleep," the bandit told him. "She was freakin' out after it, and it seems the things killed a serving girl when they appeared. But there's no trace of them anywhere."

"Tai Yi-Jun told me she sensed a holy power here," he told his friend. "And something evil as well. The power may have been Kae, but I think there's more to all this than we thought."

"And why the hell didn't ya come back when ya said?" Tasuki pressed, and Chichiri shrugged.

"I was trying to strengthen my power – I came when Tai Yi-Jun told me that, and I sensed a disruption in your chi," the monk informed him. "It seems that whoever hired those bandits decided to move sooner than I had thought. And those things are kobolds."

"Huh?"

"Evil canine spirits that take the form of humans," Chichiri said. "They're known more in other countries, however. So they called her the medium?"

"Yeah."

"That fits in with what I was told."

"What? What'd that old hag tell ya?" Tasuki demanded, and Chichiri briefly outlined what Tai Yi-Jun had told him about Kae. "So…she's not a priestess?" Tasuki asked, trying to figure it all out.

"It's doubtful," Chichiri agreed. "But right now we don't even know who brought her into this world, so nothing is unlikely. We should bring her somewhere else, though. This palace is no longer safe, and it's not wise to put these people in danger as well."

"Where're ya gonna bring her?" he pointed out.

"Somewhere where there are strong wards against evil," the monk said thoughtfully. "Ancient ones, created even before the gods were worshipped."

"Where are there wards like that?" the bandit wondered.

"Tai Yi-Jun's mountain is one," Chichiri told him. "But if this spirit is gaining even more power, it's not wise to bring her where all that power rests – it could be disastrous. There's only one other place in China that bears wards like those."

"Where?"

"Ligé-San Mountain."

"What?"

"No da. We can bring her there for safekeeping, until we determine what we're up against exactly."

"Yer crazy!" Tasuki argued. "I'm not bringin' her there!"

"Why not?"

"Be-because…" the bandit leader spluttered for a while, and Chichiri shook his head in amusement.

"It's the only place right now – unless you want to fight more kobolds, of course," he added casually, and Tasuki gaped at him, at a loss for language strong enough.

"You…you…"

"Then we'll leave tomorrow."

"Why not just teleport us there?" Tasuki demanded, grabbing onto something he could fight about.

"The spirit may be able to sense our chi, and if I use my powers it's possible he could track our movements," Chichiri told him. "But we'll travel quickly, of course. We'll leave tonight, as soon as Kae can be wakened. No da."

"No fucking-my-ass da!" Tasuki yelled, resisting the overwhelming urge to toast the monk. "I'm not bringin' her ta the mountain!"

"Then you can stay here and act as bait," his friend replied matter-of-factly. "That may work quite well."

"I'll kill you," he promised,but the monk only grinned at him and quickly left the room before Tasuki gave into his murderous rage.

"I feel better," Kae said, as she and Chichiri met Tasuki at the already-packed horses. "My head's a little sore, but nothing like before."

"Good," Chichiri nodded, and glanced at Tasuki, who had already changed back into his normal clothes. Kae wore high black boots over fitted black pants, with a long sleeveless plum-colored tunic with gold trim and a gold sash over a white blouse with sleeves gathered at her wrists. She had adamantly refused to wear a dress riding a horse, and a serving woman had found the outfit after much searching for something modest enough.

"Ya ain't ridin' with me," Tasuki informed her stiffly, mounting the horse. The bandit was still sulking about having to go to his home with a woman in tow, and was in no mood to be sociable.

"Tasuki can't ride a horse anyway, no da," Chichiri told her cheerfully, helping her into the saddle. "You'll ride with me, then," he finished, swinging onto the saddle behind her.

"I've never really ridden a horse before," she told them, donning a black cloak to hide her features from any possible spies and to guard against the chill in the air.

"I'm not surprised," Tasuki snorted, and she glared at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, and Chichiri smoothly cut in.

"You'll learn in no time, no – Daa!" he yelped, grabbing Kae as she began to fall over the side. "Eventually," he grinned, and she sighed, turning red.

"Sorry."

"Graceful," Tasuki muttered. "I feel bad for the horse."

"Tasuki," Chichiri sighed, but the bandit glared at him.

"What? Am I supposed ta be happy about bringin' this woman to the mountain? They're all gonna think she's my wife or somethin'! And who'd want her as a wife?" he snapped, and turned red when he realized he had gone too far. Kae turned to glance at him, and Chichiri noticed an odd look in her eyes. They shone briefly before she blinked and stared straight ahead, clenching the saddle in front of her so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"You did it this time, Tasuki," the monk sighed, realizing Tasuki's words must have hurt her deeply.

"We can stop here for the night," Chichiri announced, as the sun began to set among the trees. Kae, who had been dozing off against his chest, blinked and rubbed her eyes to wake up, looking around.

"How far did we go?" she asked, pointedly ignoring Tasuki's presence next to her as he pulled his horse up alongside.

"Pretty far, no da," he replied thoughtfully. "We still have at least a few more days to go, though, unless we run into some trouble."

"Do you think we will?" Kae pressed, her brow furrowing at the thought of the kobolds returning.

"Who knows, no da?" Chichiri shrugged, and jumped off the horse. "Come on, let's set up camp for the night," he said, helping her down.

"Oww…" she groaned, rubbing her sore backside as she walked stiffly around to loosen her muscles. "Man, I hope I'm not gonna be like this every day."

"You'll get used to it," the monk assured her, grateful his smiling mask hid his grin at her expression. "Anyways, I'll tie the horses up, so why don't you go and wash up in the stream? It'll help you wake up a little, no da."

"Sure," she agreed, and stiffened when Tasuki began to follow her. Pausing for a moment, she straightened her shoulders and stalked off, ignoring the bandit who slunk after her, shooting Chichiri a dirty look for placing him on guard duty. Chichiri cheerfully ignored him and set about tending to the horses, when he sensed something around them.

"Her chi is disrupted again…" he realized, but didn't feel any evil aura nearby like the last time.

"Ah…this water feels nice," Kae sighed, kneeling beside the stream and cupping the cool water in her palms. After she had washed her face and hands, she sat back on her heels and took a deep breath of the mountain air, drying herself on the hem of her tunic. Shaking her hair loose from the braid that had held it back she ran her fingers through it, trying to comb it somehow. Tasuki loafed against a tree and glared at the ground, trying to ignore her as well as she was ignoring him.

"I feel so hot," she thought, sighing and trying to cool her face off. Tasuki failed to notice the faint flush on her cheeks, and she looped her hair back to get it off her neck.

"We should be gettin' back," he said finally, straightening and beginning to walk back towards the camp. Kae remained still for a moment, still determined to ignore the bandit, and got to her feet when he was a few paces away. As she stood, she suddenly felt lightheaded and dropped to a crouch, hanging her head between her legs in an effort not to faint. "Are ya comin' or what?" he demanded, turning around and ready to bodily drag her. He stopped when he saw her on the ground, and stalked up to her with his arms crossed. "What now?"

Kae didn't respond, but tried to stand on her own instead – and Tasuki was forced to grab her around the waist as she collapsed.

"Damn woman – getting a fever," he grumbled, finally noticing her flushed face and heavy breathing. Hefting her up, he began to make his way back to camp, ignoring the small voice inside his head that wasn't really complaining that much about having to hold her in his arms.

"What's wrong, no da?" Chichiri asked, getting to his feet as Tasuki arrived at the fire the monk had started.

"She's got a damn fever, that's what," he grumbled, letting Chichiri take her from him.

"It's pretty high, no da," he noticed worriedly. "This must have been why her chi was disrupted. It's probably stress and worry from what's been happening – she just needs some rest."

"Figures the damn woman'd get herself a fever when we're tryin' ta travel," Tasuki muttered, and Chichiri glanced at him in surprise when the bandit removed his jacket and held it towards his companion. "Well? She needs a blanket or somethin', right? Your kasa is magic, so she might as well use mine."

"Good idea, Tasuki," Chichiri nodded, and laid the girl on the ground, placing Tasuki's jacket over her and her cloak underneath her head. He made a mental note of her labored breathing, and closed his eyes as he rested his palm on her forehead.

"What're ya doin'?" Tasuki demanded, and Chichiri opened his eye to glance at him.

"I'm trying to realign her chi," he informed him, and the bandit flopped to the ground with mutters of his own. Chichiri frowned when he sensed something further about her chi, and Tasuki's head shot up in shock when his friend began to remove Kae's tunic.

"What the hell're ya doin'?" he yelled, "Yer a monk!"

"I'm sensing her chi is concentrated in an area on her body," Chichiri told him. "I'm not sure what it is, no da. It may be…here it is. Look."

"It's a tattoo," Tasuki blinked, as they saw the small kanji just on the corner of her left shoulder. "It means…what's it say? It's so small!"

"I think it means…serve," the monk guessed, peering at the small mark. "I think, no da."

"Serve?"

"If she's a medium for a god, than this mark makes sense," he reasoned, adjusting her clothes back to their proper places. "There was something that I sensed when she used her powers as well – perhaps the power she displayed stems from this mark, as ours do, no da."

"Why's it showin' now?" Tasuki asked. "She ain't using her powers."

"I began to repair her chi when I sensed it – I think it's an internal binding source for her," Chichiri thought, leaning back in concentration. "It serves to keep her chi in check and to heal any abnormalities that may exist."

"So…she just needs time ta heal or whatever?" he guessed, a little nervous at seeing how serious the now-demasked Chichiri was acting.

"I believe so."

"Who's there?" she demanded, straining her eyes to see in the endless blackness surrounding her.

"Calm down, young one," a voice reproached her gently. "I am not here to harm you. I am Suzaku."

"You're the one I talked to when I came here!" she realized, matching the now-recognizable voice to the glowing red figure that came down to her, wings spread wide. "You're Suzaku? The god that girl Miaka served? Are you the one who called me here?"

"Unfortunately, no," he shook his head, and his gaze seemed to burn into the very core of her being. "I was not able to locate you before he did. I was, however, able to disrupt the summoning and contact you, and bring you to Konan to meet my Warriors."

"So…who's the one that summoned me, then?" she asked, looking around and still seeing nothing. The only light was the glow emanating from the god, but it seemed to do nothing to lessen the darkness. "And what's with this power I have?"

"Keung Xi-Wang – the spirit of desire," Suzaku said, distaste apparent in his tone. "We four gods locked him away at the beginning of time, to prevent him from destroying the world known as China. However, being summoned to earth has lessened the seals we created, and he has gathered enough strength to create minions to bring you to him."

"Why does he want me?"

"The tattoo you were born with is proof of your destiny," the god told her, and her eyes flickered to the spot where the kanji was. "It means 'servant' – you are a servant of the gods. Which you choose, however, is still being decided. You are destined to serve the darkness, but it is possible to change that."

"You're saying I'm supposed to be evil?" she repeated in disbelief. "And this kanji is what made my power, right?"

"Correct," Suzaku nodded. "However, you can not create the mist – only manipulate it."

"You created the mist then?" Kae guessed, and he nodded once more.

"The power was your own, however," he informed her solemnly. "I have managed to disrupt the barriers Keung Xi-Wang has placed around you momentarily, but it will not last for long. Remember, however, that your destiny is for yourself to decide. And we will be with you in spirit."

"Hey, wait a sec!" she yelled, stretching her hand out to the fading god. "I need help! I can't do this myself! I don't understand what's going on!"

"You're…not alone…"

Suzaku's voice echoed around her, and she stood alone in the darkness, desperately searching for someone else there. To her surprise, a burst of flame appeared nearby and she whipped her head around to see it. As soon as she saw it, however, it seemed to disappear again, only to be replaced by a golden ring that also quickly disappeared.

"I don't understand!" she screamed, pressing her palms to her eyes. "I don't…understand…" she whispered, slumping to the ground. "What am…I?'

"You are my dark priestess."

"What?"

Kae shot to her feet at the sudden voice, and looked around frantically.

"Who's there?" she yelled. "That's Keung Xi-Wang, isn't it?"

"Smart girl," the voice praised her dryly, and her gaze darted around as growling filled her ears. "But I cannot allow you to become a tool of those pathetic beings…"

"No!" she shrieked, as kobolds suddenly appeared and charged her.

"Kae!" Chichiri yelled, scaring Tasuki out of a sound sleep.

"Wah-huh? Wazzat?" he asked, blearily looking around hastily. "More enemies?"

"Her chi is fading," the monk said worriedly. "Her fever's also gotten much worse all of a sud-" He was cut off as a blast of light suddenly enveloped her, which died down as suddenly as it had appeared. When they were able to focus again in the dark, they saw her breathing had returned to normal and her fever was gone.

"What happened?" Tasuki demanded, peering down at her in confusion. "I don't get it."

"I don't know," Chichiri was forced to admit, and jumped when Tama climbed onto his shoulder. "Ow! Daa!"

Ah...now what's gonna happen? Especially since Tasuki really stepped in it this time. And just a note, I looked up Chinese names on a site, and Keung Xi-Wang is actually two names I put together, literally translating intoKeung (spirit, universe) Xi-Wang (desire). So, spirit of desire! Or, since it's universe as well, it could be "god of desire." Anyway, if anyone knows a reliable site to get names, please let me know. Please review!